Top U.S. government intelligence officials intensified their warnings on Monday about foreign election interference – especially from Russia.

The concern, from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), follows warnings on Friday about the interference.

The three agencies said they have “been observing foreign adversaries, particularly Russia, conducting additional influence operations intended to undermine public confidence in the integrity of U.S. elections and stoke divisions among Americans.”

They said these efforts will intensify throughout Tuesday – election day – and afterwards, adding they will be focused on the seven key swing states: Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and North Carolina.

U.S. voters are choosing whether to send former Republican president Donald Trump or Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris to the White House.

“Russia is the most active threat,” the joint statement said.

“Influence actors” the group said were linked to Russia are creating fake videos and stories to undermine the election’s legitimacy, make voters afraid of the process and suggest that people with opposite political views are using violence against each other.

“These efforts risk inciting violence, including against election officials,” the agencies said.

“We anticipate Russian actors will release additional manufactured content with these themes through election day and in the days and weeks after polls close.”

The intelligence officials said Russian-influenced operators had recently posted false articles that said U.S. officials were trying to influence the elections through ballot stuffing and cyberattacks.

These bad actors “also manufactured and amplified a recent video that falsely depicted an interview with an individual claiming election fraud in Arizona… to favour Vice President Kamala Harris,” the statement said.

“The Arizona Secretary of State has already refuted the video’s claim as false,” it added.

Iran has launched “maliciouis cyber activities” to negatively impact Trump, the statement continued.

The Tehran government is also trying to influence the election through fake videos and posts intended to stoke violence.

The intelligence officials said Iran remained determined to avenge the death of Qassem Soleimani, who on the orders of Trump,  was killed in Iraq in a U.S. airstrike in January 2020. 

(dpa/NAN)