US Warns of Threat of Extremist Violence Ahead of Elections

The Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Capitol Police and the National Counterterrorism Center explained in a document that "perceptions" of election fraud could cause violence after the polls close this Nov. 8, according to national media reports.

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"Perceptions of election-related fraud and dissatisfaction with election results will likely result in increased threats of violence" against a wide range of groups such as "ideological opponents and election officials," the document said.

Voters, political figures and persons belonging to ethnic, racial or religious minorities may also be targeted by violent extremist individuals or groups, the U.S. government agencies added.

Officials said in the report that the most reasonable threat may come from individual attackers using election-related issues to justify violence.

The document comes a day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband was attacked by a man who broke into their home looking for the lawmaker while shouting "Where's Nancy?"

President Joe Biden on Friday blasted the attack as "despicable" and said the words shouted by the attacker at the congresswoman's home were also used during the assault on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Experts in the country have warned about the proliferation of disinformation on the Internet related to electoral fraud and spread by well-known figures and trusted by the audience ahead of the legislative elections, where Democrats are playing for control of Congress.