European Airlines and Media Outlets Face Third Wave of Bomb Threats
A new series of false bomb alerts disrupted flights across Southern Europe and forced evacuations at major news organizations, prompting officials to describe the events as a likely coordinated campaign of disruption.
By Khalid Khalil ·
European aviation and media sectors have experienced a fresh wave of bomb threats, marking the third significant incident of the current week. On Friday, multiple flights operating to and from Lisbon, Rome, Prague, and Sofia were targeted. Authorities reported that three aircraft were escorted by Hungarian fighter jets as a precautionary measure following the alerts.
The disruption extended beyond the skies, affecting high-profile media organizations. Ireland's public broadcaster, RTÉ, evacuated its staff after receiving a threat. While no concrete connection has been established between the messages sent to airlines and those received by broadcasters, the simultaneous nature of the events has raised concerns about a linked effort.
This latest round of alerts follows an earlier incident in the same week that impacted nearly 30 aircraft and several airports across the continent. The United Kingdom previously characterized those events as a malicious hoax. On Friday, Ryanair confirmed that a flight scheduled to depart Lisbon for Rome was targeted. According to AFP, at least 11 flights in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria also received threats. France reported that at least four of its flights were affected, though all landed safely. As of Friday, no explosives had been discovered on any of the targeted planes.
In the Irish capital, staff from the Irish Independent newspaper and the Dublin offices of radio stations NewstalkFM and TodayFM were advised to leave their buildings. UK broadcaster Sky also reported receiving a security threat. Irish police, known as gardaí, stated in a statement that they were aware of a threat made against media organizations in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe.
The Irish government has described the situation as a likely coordinated campaign of disruption. In a public statement, officials noted that such hoax threats cause fear, distress, and inconvenience to people going about their daily lives without achieving any positive purpose. The government acknowledged that it is not yet known who is responsible, leaving open the possibility that the actions are being carried out by individuals or a centralized group.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin described the situation as worrying, emphasizing that the safety of the Irish public is the government's first priority. He noted that coordinated efforts to disrupt air travel appeared to have taken place the previous day. Speaking to RTÉ, Martin said it remained unclear whether the threats originated from individuals or represented a coordinated attack, but he stressed that the matter was being taken seriously.
The timing of these disruptions is notable because Ireland is scheduled to host two high-profile European Union meetings in Dublin next week. The potential for further security measures or public attention adds a layer of complexity to the ongoing investigations.
Sky, which is owned by Comcast, confirmed it had received a security threat hours after RTÉ evacuated its building. In a statement read by a news presenter, the broadcaster said it had carried out a security assessment and reported the matter to relevant authorities. The company stated that the safety and security of its colleagues were its primary concern and that it was working closely with authorities to ensure its operations remained secure.
The confusion surrounding the source of the threats was compounded by a statement from the Russian extremist group known as Male State. This group had been named in connection with this week's hoax bomb threats to Italian airports. However, the group denied any link to the false warnings. A Telegram account linked to Male State and its founder, Vladislav Pozdnyakov, mocked the suggestion that the group was involved in emailing the threats.
The message on the channel, replying to the BBC Russian Service, questioned why the group was being contacted. It read: What Male State? Where have you seen it? It hasn't existed for many years. The post further asked: If tomorrow they sign a threat letter, say, from Putin, will you then try to reach our president to ask your stupid question? This denial adds another layer of uncertainty to the investigation into who is orchestrating the latest wave of alerts.
