US election: FBI says fake bomb threats appear to originate from Russia
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The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned of bomb threats at polling stations in “multiple” US states on a tense election day, adding that none were credible but many appeared to originate from Russia.
The FBI’s statement came as authorities in the US state of Georgia said hoax bomb threats had briefly disrupted voting on Tuesday.
The 2024 US presidential campaign has been a particularly volatile one, and security for election day has been ramped up to unprecedented levels given concerns over possible civil unrest, election chicanery and violence against poll workers.
“The FBI is aware of bomb threats to polling locations in several states, many of which appear to originate from Russian email domains,” spokeswoman Savannah Syms said in a statement.
“None of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far,” she added, urging the public to “remain vigilant.”
Georgia’s Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, said the state had also identified the source of bomb threats that briefly disrupted voting at polling places.
“It was from Russia,” he said, without elaborating.
At least seven polling stations in Georgia’s Fulton County were among those facing threats and were briefly closed, South Fulton’s Mayor Kobi told AFP.
“None of the polling places were closed for more than 30 minutes,” he told AFP outside one of them — Feldwood Elementary School in South Fulton.
“There are some people who are trying to discourage people in South Fulton from voting, but we are the Blackest city in the United States.
“We are the descendants of, the sons and daughters of people who faced lynch mobs, water cannon… to exercise the right to vote. And so we aren’t going to let bomb threats turn us around,” he said.
– ‘Smelled like fuel’ –
