The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) found that Iran is linked to an online attempt to incite election-related violence against U.S. officials, sources familiar with the matter told The Washington Post on Tuesday.
Among the U.S. officials whose photographs, addresses, and personal data were released on the allegedly Iran-affiliated website called “Enemies of the People” was FBI Director Christopher A. Wray and recently-dismissed Homeland Security Department official Christopher Krebs, The Washington Post reported. The Wall Street Journal confirmed much of The Washington Post’s reporting. (RELATED: Russia And Iran Have Obtained Some US Voter Information, Are Attempting To Intimidate Voters, FBI Says)
The targeted officials, whose images on the site were superimposed with crosshairs, have in some manner attested that the November elections were secure, denying President Donald Trump’s claims that the elections were rigged, the outlet’s report stated.
The FBI has determined that Iran is responsible for an online attempt to incite violence against officials who pushed back on election-fraud claims advanced by President Trump https://t.co/9lTuVue9xA
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) December 23, 2020
The now-unavailable “Enemies of the People” site and related social-media handles reportedly emerged around two weeks ago. They alleged that the officials on its hit list had committed treason by aiding and abetting a “fraudulent election” against Trump, and declaring a Biden win as legitimate, according to The Wall Street Journal.
One state official told The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity that the FBI has been informing the website’s targets about the supposedly Iran-backed effort against them.
The site’s targets received the following statement from the bureau, according to The Washington Post: “The FBI is in possession of highly credible information indicating Iranian advanced persistent threat actors were almost certainly responsible for the creation of a website, called ‘Enemies of the People’ containing death threats aimed at US election officials in mid-December 2020.”
The FBI is expected to make an announcement Wednesday, according to The Washington Post.
The attempt to instigate election-related violence in the U.S. follows previous Iranian efforts at election interference.