Washington: Iran and Russia sought to influence US elections by obtaining voter registration data with the aim of spreading false information
Less than two weeks before the November poll, US officials today revealed that the two countries attempted to target voters with a disinformation campaign aimed at undermining the integrity of the election
US intelligence officials have revealed attempts by Iran and Russia to interfere in the election between Donald Trump and Joe BidenCredit:
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe said part of the campaign involved Iran sending threatening emails, some claiming to be from the far-right group the Proud Boys, which aimed to « intimidate the voters, incite social unrest and harm President Trump «
« In addition, Iran is distributing other content, including a video that suggests individuals have voted fraudulently, even from abroad, » he said
« These actions are desperate attempts by desperate adversaries Even as adversaries pursue further attempts to intimidate or attempt to undermine voter confidence, know that our electoral systems are resilient »
Members of the Proud Boys and other right-wing protesters cross the Hawthorne Bridge in Portland, OregonCredit: AP
The revelations come four years after Russian interference in the 2016 election between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton
They are also emerging in a climate of turmoil over the integrity of the election, which Trump has spent months trying to delegitimize on the thorny issue of mail-in ballots
Ratcliffe said Russia did not engage in the same actions as Iran, but « we know they got voter information just like they did in 2016 »
However, he added that the intelligence community, including the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, had acted quickly to resolve the issue and that the Americans could be sure that « we are ready for the possibility of actions. of those who are hostile to democracy »
With so much at stake in the election, more than 42 million people have already voted, and the turnout in this year’s election is on track to be the highest in U.S. history
The enthusiasm was evident at early voting sites across the country, where voters from critical states such as Georgia and Texas lined up for hours to vote
However, the unprecedented turnout also gave rise to widespread allegations of voter suppression and intimidation tactics
Voters in the Florida Swing State on Wednesday (U.S. time) reported receiving emails claiming to be from the Proud Boys, threatening « we’ll come after you » if the recipients had not voted for Trump, this who prompted the FBI to investigate
The Proud Boys are the right-wing group Trump failed to denounce in his chaotic first presidential debate with Joe Biden, urging them instead to « step back and be ready »
FBI Director Chris Wray urged Americans to be « informed consumers » of information disseminated online
« We will not tolerate foreign interference in our elections or any criminal activity that threatens the sanctity or undermines public confidence in the outcome of the elections, » he said
Ratcliffe said he had been tasked by Trump to keep the public informed He said there was no evidence to suggest that the votes or registration information had been changed and that the way in which the electoral data had been obtained was unclear
However, he urged voters: « If you receive an intimidating or manipulative email in your inbox, don’t worry and don’t spread it. It’s not a partisan issue »
Iran, Donald Trump, Russia, United States Presidential Election, 2020, Federal Bureau of Investigation, John Ratcliffe
World News – AU – Russia and Iran have of US voter registration data, aiming to interfere in elections: FBI
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com
