Hoax bomb threats disrupt polling sites in key states

AFP

The FBI is investigating a series of hoax bomb threats aimed at polling locations in Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, and Wisconsin during Election Day voting.

The threats, which appear to have originated from Russian email domains, disrupted voting at several sites, including brief evacuations in Georgia.

Its believed there were 32 hoax calls in Georgia alone, none of which were deemed credible, and voting resumed at affected locations.

Georgia's Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger blamed Russian interference, while Russian officials denied any involvement, calling the allegations "malicious slander."

In Arizona, four polling sites in Navajo County received fake bomb threats, and Wisconsin and Michigan also reported similar threats, though they did not disrupt voting.

The fake bomb threats are part of a broader pattern of alleged Russian efforts to interfere in the 2024 election.

On November 1, U.S. intelligence officials revealed that Russian operatives had fabricated a video to falsely accuse Haitians of illegal voting in Georgia, as well as another video falsely implicating an individual linked to Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign in a bribery scandal.

The FBI continues to investigate the threats as the U.S. presidential election remains tightly contested.

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