U.S. intelligence reports warn of extremist threat around election

By Ted Hesson, Kristina Cooke and Mark Hosenball

 

Credit: Reuters

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. security officials are warning that violent domestic extremists pose a threat to the presidential election next month, amid what one official called a "witch's brew" of rising political tensions, civil unrest and foreign disinformation campaigns.

 

FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memos say threats by domestic extremists to election-related targets will likely increase in the run-up to the Nov. 3 election.

 

Those warnings so far have largely remained internal. But New Jersey's homeland security office took the unusual step of publicly highlighting the threat in a little-noticed report on its website last week.

 

"You have this witch’s brew that really hasn’t happened in America’s history. And if it has, it’s been decades if not centuries," said Jared Maples, director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, which published the threat assessment.

 

Nationwide protests in recent months over racial justice and police brutality have been largely peaceful, but some have led to violent confrontations, including between extremist factions from left and right.

 

The United States is grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, high unemployment and a contentious presidential election in a polarized political climate.

 

President Donald Trump last week declined to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses the election to Democratic rival Joe Biden. Trump has sought to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the election because of his concerns about mail-in voting, which Democrats have encouraged during the coronavirus pandemic.

 

Documented cases of mail-ballot fraud are extremely rare and election experts say it would be nearly impossible for foreign actors to disrupt an election by mailing out fake ballots.

 

A recent internal FBI bulletin warned that domestic extremists with varying ideologies would likely pose an increasing threat to government and election-related targets in the run-up to the election, according to a person familiar with it. The bulletin was first reported by Yahoo News.

 

An FBI spokeswoman said the agency "routinely shares information with our law enforcement partners in order to assist in protecting the communities they serve," but declined to comment on the specific document.

 

U.S. intelligence reports are warning that violent domestic extremists pose a threat to the Nov. 3 election. This report produced by Chris Dignam.

 

A DHS memo dated to Aug. 17 said ideologically driven extremists and other actors "could quickly mobilize" to engage in violence related to the election. The document, also first reported by Yahoo News, was confirmed to Reuters by a person familiar with it.

 

The memo said that lone offender white supremacists and other lone offenders with "personalized ideologies" pose the greatest threat of deadly violence.

 

A DHS spokesperson directed Reuters to early September remarks by acting Secretary Chad Wolf, in which he said that the department "has taken unprecedented actions to address all forms of violent extremism, to specifically include threats posed by lone offenders and small cells of individuals."

 

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Trump and his top officials have not so far publicly highlighted any threat by violent extremist groups to the election.

 

Trump officials have pointed the finger at left-wing anarchists and anti-fascists during protests against police brutality and racism over the summer, but federal court records provide little evidence showing those arrested for violent acts had affiliations to far-left groups.

 

Last week, the top two DHS officials acknowledged in congressional hearings, however, that white supremacists have posed the most lethal domestic threat to the United States in recent years.

 

FBI Director Christopher Wray said during congressional hearings earlier this month that his agency was conducting investigations into violent domestic extremists, include white supremacists and anti-fascist groups. He said the largest “chunk” of investigations were into white supremacist groups.

 

White supremacist, anti-Semitic, anti-government, and related ideologies were tied to 77 percent of 454 alleged domestic extremist murders in the past decade, according to data compiled by the Anti-Defamation League, a New York City-based anti-hate advocacy organization, and presented at one of the congressional hearings last week.

 

National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot told Reuters that Trump's highest priority is "protecting the U.S. from all threats, both foreign and domestic" when asked if the president had addressed the election threat publicly.

 

Maples, the New Jersey homeland director, said his agency did not issue a pre-election threat assessment in 2016, but that it was necessary this time around.

 

"We want our allies and folks across the state to recognize that we need to be thinking about this," he said.

 

The New Jersey report outlines three possible scenarios for the November election: a quick election outcome, a protracted process where determining a winner takes months and a legal battle that eventually goes to the Supreme Court.

 

Each of the scenarios could lead to extremist violence, with the possibility of deadly confrontations between protesters and targeted violence toward police officers, the assessment concludes.

 

The agency's report says the extremists will likely be "anarchist, anti-government, and racially motivated," but does not say which groups pose the greater threat.

 

The domestic extremist threat has always been present, but is getting more attention this year, according to Mike Sena, president of the National Fusion Center Association, which represents state-run "fusion centers" staffed by federal, state and local public safety personnel who monitor threats and facilitate information sharing.

 

"We have always had threats during the national election cycles from violent extremists, including terrorist organizations," he said. "With current events, it is more in the spotlight than ever."

 

The Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, a bipartisan think tank, said in a June report that the outcome of the election could incite violence by the far-right or far-left.

 

"If President Trump loses the election, some extremists may use violence because they believe - however incorrectly - that there was fraud or that the election of Democratic candidate Joe Biden will undermine their extremist objectives," the report reads. "Alternatively, some on the far-left could resort to terrorism if President Trump is re-elected."

 

(Reporting by Ted Hesson and Mark Hosenball in Washington, Kristina Cooke in Los Angeles, Editing by Ross Colvin and Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-30

 

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"Trump officials have pointed the finger at left-wing anarchists and anti-fascists during protests against police brutality and racism over the summer, but federal court records provide little evidence showing those arrested for violent acts had affiliations to far-left groups."

 

"Last week, the top two DHS officials acknowledged in congressional hearings, however, that white supremacists have posed the most lethal domestic threat to the United States in recent years."

 

I wanted to high-lite that part before the usual crowd starts posting nonsense about BLM and Antifa.

11 minutes ago, webfact said:

U.S. security officials are warning that violent domestic extremists pose a threat to the presidential election next month, amid what one official called a "witch's brew" of rising political tensions, civil unrest and foreign disinformation campaigns.

“Eye of newt and toe of frogs,” they chant. “Conjure a drink that looks good for votes.

 

Let’s hope it doesent come to violence even though a certain someone seems to be inciting it.......

1 hour ago, heybruce said:

"Trump officials have pointed the finger at left-wing anarchists and anti-fascists during protests against police brutality and racism over the summer, but federal court records provide little evidence showing those arrested for violent acts had affiliations to far-left groups."

 

"Last week, the top two DHS officials acknowledged in congressional hearings, however, that white supremacists have posed the most lethal domestic threat to the United States in recent years."

 

I wanted to high-lite that part before the usual crowd starts posting nonsense about BLM and Antifa.

Yes, the article makes certain to include the "official" line so that any voices claiming otherwise can be swiftly discredited and debunked.  Of course it makes no mention of the fact that Antifa has been designated a terrorist group.

 

It also makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The memo said that lone offender white supremacists and other lone offenders with "personalized ideologies" pose the greatest threat of deadly violence.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

A DHS spokesperson directed Reuters to early September remarks by acting Secretary Chad Wolf, in which he said that the department "has taken unprecedented actions to address all forms of violent extremism, to specifically include threats posed by lone offenders and small cells of individuals."

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Last week, the top two DHS officials acknowledged in congressional hearings, however, that white supremacists have posed the most lethal domestic threat to the United States in recent years.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

 

FBI Director Christopher Wray said during congressional hearings earlier this month that his agency was conducting investigations into violent domestic extremists, include white supremacists and anti-fascist groups. He said the largest “chunk” of investigations were into white supremacist groups.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

White supremacist, anti-Semitic, anti-government, and related ideologies were tied to 77 percent of 454 alleged domestic extremist murders in the past decade, according to data compiled by the Anti-Defamation League, a New York City-based anti-hate advocacy organization, and presented at one of the congressional hearings last week.

At least they have changed their language about mail in voting fraud.  Before they would dismiss it as "without any evidence" and it's been changed to "extremely rare."  Probably due to the fact that incontrovertible evidence, now unable to deny or ignore, continues to be produced (such as the mail in voter fraud via ballot harvesting recently uncovered in Ilhan Omar's district).

 

Kudos to the "journalists" as they have most every base covered on this topic to gently guide your thinking if/when mayhem breaks out after the election.

I'll bet the stock market crash to oblivion. Another chance to make a bundle$$ when it hits bottom again.

I guess I missed it, why aren't mail in votes required to be in by a designated date before the election so they may be counted at the same time as the actual election? 

I guess a few million but spread amongst each state so divided by 50 + diluting the count, can it be that difficult?

1 hour ago, Tippaporn said:

Yes, the article makes certain to include the "official" line so that any voices claiming otherwise can be swiftly discredited and debunked.  Of course it makes no mention of the fact that Antifa has been designated a terrorist group.

 

It also makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists.

 

 

 

 

 

At least they have changed their language about mail in voting fraud.  Before they would dismiss it as "without any evidence" and it's been changed to "extremely rare."  Probably due to the fact that incontrovertible evidence, now unable to deny or ignore, continues to be produced (such as the mail in voter fraud via ballot harvesting recently uncovered in Ilhan Omar's district).

 

Kudos to the "journalists" as they have most every base covered on this topic to gently guide your thinking if/when mayhem breaks out after the election.

Why do you think the report “makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists”.?

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

1 hour ago, Tippaporn said:

Yes, the article makes certain to include the "official" line so that any voices claiming otherwise can be swiftly discredited and debunked.  Of course it makes no mention of the fact that Antifa has been designated a terrorist group.

 

It also makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists.

 

 

 

 

 

At least they have changed their language about mail in voting fraud.  Before they would dismiss it as "without any evidence" and it's been changed to "extremely rare."  Probably due to the fact that incontrovertible evidence, now unable to deny or ignore, continues to be produced (such as the mail in voter fraud via ballot harvesting recently uncovered in Ilhan Omar's district).

 

Kudos to the "journalists" as they have most every base covered on this topic to gently guide your thinking if/when mayhem breaks out after the election.

Why do you think the report “makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists”.?

Propaganda.

Carrot head and Biden start debate soon! Just take cold Chang and snacks ready 

Edited September 30, 20205 yr by 2 is 1

Now I know how most Belarussians feel.

 

 

46 minutes ago, Thailand said:

I guess I missed it, why aren't mail in votes required to be in by a designated date before the election

Each state administers its own election. So each has it's own rules and laws governing elections. I think some states do require a postmark of the election day or earlier. Some allow later submissions. Personally, I think one should be able to vote anytime up to when their local polling place closes (let's say 8:00 PM for example), and submit their valid ballot at the polling place, a drop box or by mail, so would allow for a postmark of + a few days. Town, city officials should also arrange pick-up of ballots from those unable to visit polls or deliver their ballot (elderly, for example).

 

The important thing is for people to be able to vote easily, safely, conveniently.

 

2 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

Propaganda.

So you’ve got nothing.

 

No evidence, no proof, nadda!

 

Just another nonsense ‘conspiracy theory’, as for ‘propaganda’, I suspect, yes, that’s where you are getting this stuff.

2 hours ago, Yinn said:

I can not go USA. My skin not white.

A lot of skin colors already present in the US ... you can go if you want or , at least , try to ...

 

2 hours ago, Yinn said:

Racist place.

Just as Thailand ... anybody non Thai is regarded as inferior in Thailand , and treated respectively ...

 

2 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

Yes, the article makes certain to include the "official" line so that any voices claiming otherwise can be swiftly discredited and debunked.  Of course it makes no mention of the fact that Antifa has been designated a terrorist group.

 

It also makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists.

 

 

 

 

 

At least they have changed their language about mail in voting fraud.  Before they would dismiss it as "without any evidence" and it's been changed to "extremely rare."  Probably due to the fact that incontrovertible evidence, now unable to deny or ignore, continues to be produced (such as the mail in voter fraud via ballot harvesting recently uncovered in Ilhan Omar's district).

 

Kudos to the "journalists" as they have most every base covered on this topic to gently guide your thinking if/when mayhem breaks out after the election.

 

Waffle. As usual, come out with insinuations, not supported by anything much, let alone facts. Proceed to hint at vague conspiracies, and to blow minor issues out of proportion as 'proof'. You've got nothing. The report, which pretty much echos previous reports discussed, simply does not support your political agenda and point of view. Your way of dealing with it? Just say it ain't so. Real convincing, there. Not.

2 hours ago, Yinn said:

White supremacist. BLM. Police kill citizens.

454 extremist murder.

Racist place.

I can not go USA. My skin not white.

 

Yinn. You have really changed recently but you are white in America. Get a grip! I think no POTY this year so you have another year to go because of corona. Chill out. ????

4 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

Yes, the article makes certain to include the "official" line so that any voices claiming otherwise can be swiftly discredited and debunked.  Of course it makes no mention of the fact that Antifa has been designated a terrorist group.

 

It also makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists.

 

 

 

 

 

At least they have changed their language about mail in voting fraud.  Before they would dismiss it as "without any evidence" and it's been changed to "extremely rare."  Probably due to the fact that incontrovertible evidence, now unable to deny or ignore, continues to be produced (such as the mail in voter fraud via ballot harvesting recently uncovered in Ilhan Omar's district).

 

Kudos to the "journalists" as they have most every base covered on this topic to gently guide your thinking if/when mayhem breaks out after the election.

Antifa has not been officially designated as a terrorist group because there is no official means to designate a domestic organization as a terrorist group.  Also, it's difficult to prove that Antifa is a structured organization.

 

Regardless, unless you can provide evidence that someone claiming to be part of Antifa is planning to disrupt voting, all this is off-topic.

4 hours ago, Thailand said:

I guess I missed it, why aren't mail in votes required to be in by a designated date before the election so they may be counted at the same time as the actual election? 

I guess a few million but spread amongst each state so divided by 50 + diluting the count, can it be that difficult?

States are allowed to make their own laws regarding voting.  In some states mail-in ballots must be postmarked on or before November 3 and received before November 10, in other states they must be received by November 3.  That covers most of the 50 states, I don't know if it covers all of them.

 

Most states allow ballots to be "processed" (prepared for counting) when received and some allow counting on receipt.  A few states don't allow any processing or counting before election day.  There is no good reason not to get an early start and these few states may delay the announcement of the election outcome.

6 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

Yes, the article makes certain to include the "official" line so that any voices claiming otherwise can be swiftly discredited and debunked.  Of course it makes no mention of the fact that Antifa has been designated a terrorist group.

 

It also makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists.

 

 

 

 

 

At least they have changed their language about mail in voting fraud.  Before they would dismiss it as "without any evidence" and it's been changed to "extremely rare."  Probably due to the fact that incontrovertible evidence, now unable to deny or ignore, continues to be produced (such as the mail in voter fraud via ballot harvesting recently uncovered in Ilhan Omar's district).

 

Kudos to the "journalists" as they have most every base covered on this topic to gently guide your thinking if/when mayhem breaks out after the election.

Oh the nasty biased journalists! ????

Actually, they seem to be quite fact-oriented: right-wing extremists have always been the main threat,

https://www.csis.org/analysis/escalating-terrorism-problem-united-states

 

Edited September 30, 20205 yr by candide

6 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

Yes, the article makes certain to include the "official" line so that any voices claiming otherwise can be swiftly discredited and debunked.  Of course it makes no mention of the fact that Antifa has been designated a terrorist group.

 

It also makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists.

Others have already tried, no acknowledgement from you, so let me be very clear: the reason the fact that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists is mentioned is because US intelligence has again concluded that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists.

8 hours ago, heybruce said:

"Trump officials have pointed the finger at left-wing anarchists and anti-fascists during protests against police brutality and racism over the summer, but federal court records provide little evidence showing those arrested for violent acts had affiliations to far-left groups."

 

"Last week, the top two DHS officials acknowledged in congressional hearings, however, that white supremacists have posed the most lethal domestic threat to the United States in recent years."

 

I wanted to high-lite that part before the usual crowd starts posting nonsense about BLM and Antifa.

The damage done by the new Nazis,  ANTIFA & BLM is not nonsense. Don't forget the Jihadis too? The culture wars against white people is also a form of terrorism.

5 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Why do you think the report “makes certain to hit home with great repetition the "fact" that the greatest threat comes from white supremacists”.?

Reaffirmation of lies

4 minutes ago, Nout said:

Reaffirmation of lies

Yes, US intelligence, those well known bastions of extreme liberalism.

14 minutes ago, Nout said:

Reaffirmation of lies

 

FBI Director Is Lying, Says Biased, Opinionated, Partisan Poster.

27 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Yes, US intelligence, those well known bastions of extreme liberalism.

Its in someone's vested interests to downplay the dangers of the democrats,  the BLM, ANTIFA, Critical race theory, the destruction of family life and all the other sickness, but at the same time exaggerate the far right threat. The security services and military are not a bastion of liberalism but a bastion of self interested corruption.

26 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

FBI Director Is Lying, Says Biased, Opinionated, Partisan Poster.

Wont be the first FBI Director to be a corrupt, nefarious operator. Try reading a book sometime. If you don't like opinions that differ from yours don't use this forum.  We are not here to appease your mediocre  unoriginal thought processes.  I welcome your opinions even though I might disagree with them even though they are partizan , biased and naive and I suspect anti white racist.

Edited September 30, 20205 yr by Nout

4 minutes ago, Nout said:

Wont be the first FBI Director to be a corrupt, nefarious operator. Try reading a book sometime. If you don't like opinions that differ from yours don't use this forum.  We are not here to appease your mediocre  unoriginal thought processes.  I welcome your opinions even though I might disagree with them even though they are partizan , biased and naive and I suspect anti white racist.

The difference is some opinions are based on facts, not just emotions while denying facts like yours.

Well at least we now know what Trump was alluding to when he said, "Proud boys stand by"

 

Trump. Terrorist in chief.

9 hours ago, heybruce said:

"Trump officials have pointed the finger at left-wing anarchists and anti-fascists during protests against police brutality and racism over the summer, but federal court records provide little evidence showing those arrested for violent acts had affiliations to far-left groups."

 

"Last week, the top two DHS officials acknowledged in congressional hearings, however, that white supremacists have posed the most lethal domestic threat to the United States in recent years."

 

I wanted to high-lite that part before the usual crowd starts posting nonsense about BLM and Antifa.

And now we have The Donald stating that those right wing extremists, "stand by" for the election while Eric Trump protests that Trump supporters are being blocked from entering poling places to intimidate American voters ... I am losing my country.

 

rueters picture says it all! ,St.louis, MO june 1st

 That night riots broke out and 4 police officers were shot  ! Since that night and until now  the news reports  have shown what groups by far dominated the lowlights causing destruction and mayhem all through my country!

 

 

A protestor waves a burned American flag over a fire during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of African-American man George Floyd, in St Louis, Missouri, U.S., June 1, 2020. Picture taken June 1,2020

https://abcnews.go.com/US/george-floyd-protest-live-updates-police-officers-shot/story?id=71014430

 

1 hour ago, Nout said:

The damage done by the new Nazis,  ANTIFA & BLM is not nonsense. Don't forget the Jihadis too? The culture wars against white people is also a form of terrorism.

"The culture wars against white people is also a form of terrorism."   ????????????

 

I am of English, Scottish, and Irish descent--pretty darn white.  I don't feel the least bit terrorized.  Those culture warriors are really bad at terrorism.