J. Seal on the Edgar Hoover FBI Building seen in Washington on June 9, 2023. file | Photo Credit: AP
FBI warns of bomb threats at polling stations in “several” US states, keeping situation tense election DayThat said, none were reliable, but several appeared to originate from Russia.
In one area of the battleground state of Georgia, police reported 32 bomb threats against polling sites, some of which briefly suspended operations while authorities investigated explosives.
Also read: US Election 2024 Voting Live: Donald Trump wins Florida, leads Kamala Harris as early voting closes
The 2024 US presidential campaign has been particularly volatile, and Election Day security has been heightened given concerns over potential civil unrest, election fraud, and violence against election workers.
“The FBI is aware of bomb threats against polling places in several states, many of which appear to have originated from Russian email domains,” spokeswoman Savannah Sims said in a statement.
He urged the public to “remain vigilant”, saying, “No threats have been found credible so far.”
Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said the state had identified Russia as the source of the bomb threats, without elaborating.
County Police Chief Wade Yate told reporters that 32 polling places in Fulton County, Georgia – which includes Atlanta, the state’s largest city – were facing threats.
He said the five sites were briefly closed while authorities investigated the explosives, but nothing was found.
“No polling location was closed for more than 30 minutes,” South Fulton Mayor Coby said. AFP Outside one of them – Fieldwood Elementary School in South Fulton.
He said, “There are some people who are trying to discourage people from voting in South Fulton, but we are the blackest city in the United States.”
“We are the descendants of the sons and daughters of those who faced mob violence, water cannons to exercise their right to vote…. “And so, we will not let bomb threats sway us.”
‘Smells like fuel’
With the 2024 race between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump at the height of the impasse, officials are keen to reassure anxious Americans that their votes are safe. But he has also increased physical security for election operations across the country.
Poll workers have been given panic buttons, special weapons teams have been deployed on rooftops and hundreds of National Guard personnel have been placed on standby.
The FBI established a National Election Command Post in Washington to monitor threats 24 hours a day during election week.
US Capitol Police, who guard the seat of Congress in Washington, arrested a man on Tuesday (Nov. 5, 2024) who “smelled like fuel” and was in possession of a lighter and accelerant.
They were stopped at the Capitol Visitor Center – part of the complex that was stormed by Mr Trump supporters in a deadly riot on January 6, 2021, as they sought to overturn his election defeat to Joe Biden. Were.
Police chief J. Thomas Manger later said at a press conference that the man had “papers” he wanted to turn over to Congress and it was unclear whether he was planning to set himself on fire.
“There is no indication right now that this has anything to do with the election,” he said.
The bomb threats were not the first time US officials have pointed the finger at Russian interference during voting.
Hours before voting was to begin, officials warned that disinformation campaigns linked to Russia were falsely claiming that efforts were being made in battleground states to fraudulently influence the election outcome.
published – November 06, 2024 09:23 am IST