United States intelligence agencies are sounding the alarm over potential extremist violence associated with the 2024 presidential election. Throughout the summer, quiet warnings have circulated among government entities about threats aimed at disrupting election processes. These include plans to destroy ballot drop boxes and instigate "lone wolf" attacks on election facilities nationwide.

Between July and September, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a series of reports highlighting an elevated risk of extremist attacks as the election race intensifies. The reports, as initially reported by WIRED, detail the concerted efforts by violent groups to provoke attacks on electoral infrastructure and even call for the assassination of lawmakers and law enforcement personnel.

A recent DHS intelligence report underscored how perceptions of voter fraud have surged as a primary catalyst for inciting violence. It highlighted that groups intent on exploiting fears of a "potential civil war" are particularly energized by these perceptions. Additional fears surrounding "crimes by migrants or minorities" are identified as significant triggers for potential unrest.

Complicating the security landscape are warnings about online discussions suggesting attacks on election drop boxes. These secure receptacles, utilized in more than thirty states, are foundational to collecting mail-in ballots. Reports indicate an unnamed group has been crowdsourcing knowledge on incendiaries and explosives capable of destroying these drop boxes. Members have shared detailed instructions online about household compounds that could render ballots "impossible to process."

Requests for comments from DHS went unanswered, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, listed as part of the report's distribution, also declined to comment.

These intelligence reports, originally unearthed by the transparency-focused nonprofit Property of the People under open records law, include actionable details on committing crimes that WIRED opted not to publish.

Wendy Via, cofounder and president of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, concurs with DHS's assessment, noting that election denialism indeed appears to be a key motivational force in any potential violence.

This article was originally reported by WIRED.