French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Friday that a wave of false bomb threats reported in several European countries appeared to be “clearly coordinated,” pointing to the possibility of foreign interference aimed at destabilizing the region.
Speaking to French television channel LCI, Nuñez said there were indications that foreign actors could be behind the bomb threats targeting the civil aviation sector. He added that Russia, or other countries seeking to undermine stability, could be organizing these campaigns.
The minister noted that the latest wave of threats had affected civil aviation in several European countries, stressing that French authorities had strong suspicions that the reports were coordinated.
False Bomb Threats Target Schools and European Institutions
Schools in Italy, Ireland and the United Kingdom received false bomb threats on Wednesday, while three educational institutions in France faced similar threats on Thursday.
Earlier in November, similar warnings targeted dozens of commercial flights across Europe, prompting aircraft diversions, fighter jet escorts, evacuations and security searches. No explosives were found.
The incidents have fueled growing concerns across Europe about a possible connection to what is known as “hybrid warfare,” which involves using a range of different tactics and tools to exert pressure and destabilize countries.
French Authorities Investigating With European Agencies
Nuñez said investigations were being conducted in cooperation with European bodies, including the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol). Intelligence agencies are also sharing information in an effort to identify those responsible for what he described as coordinated threats.
The minister was responding to questions about the growing number of bomb reports and whether they posed a danger to the public. He acknowledged that certain periods see a rise in threat alerts, most of which turn out to be false, but emphasized that authorities treat every report with the utmost seriousness.
Last Saturday, the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office announced the opening of an investigation into false bomb threats targeting aircraft flying over French territory.
The prosecutor’s office said the investigation aims to identify the senders of emails containing fabricated information about serious bombing threats and determine whether they have any possible links to foreign entities.
