Bomb threats across Europe, Digi Mart USA News: Europe has seen numerous bomb threats again, affecting both air travel and media organizations. Spain describes the situation as a hybrid attack that is “no coincidence,” while Ireland speaks of a “coordinated campaign.”
Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told the broadcaster RTVE that he is convinced the many bomb threats against aircraft are an attack by autocratic forces on Europe’s democracy. “It is clear that this is no coincidence,” he said, describing it as an “attempt at hybrid aggression and psychological warfare.”
Albares said that hacking attacks on digital platforms and on supermarket refrigeration systems fit the same pattern. “There are actors in the world who act in this way to weaken Europe,” he said.
He described Europe as a project of hope that stands for democracy, tolerance, economic growth, redistribution and social justice, and warned that the threats unsettle those who want to return to the law of the strongest.
The series of puzzling bomb threats in European air travel continues. According to the Italian news agency Ansa, a Wizz Air flight from Prague to Rome was diverted to Venice because of a threat.
In Lisbon, Portugal, two bomb threats were reported against the same Ryanair aircraft, according to the state broadcaster RTP, citing police.
Flights from London and from Brussels to Sofia were also targeted by bomb threats. The aircraft landed safely at Sofia Airport, and border police reported finding “nothing alarming” during inspections, according to public radio in Sofia.
A Prague airport spokesperson said threats targeted nine flights there, and incidents were also reported in France.
Other sectors have reported nearly identical incidents. Employees of the Irish broadcaster RTÉ and other media outlets had to be evacuated after a bomb threat on the morning in question.
Besides RTÉ, the newspaper Irish Independent and the radio station Newstalk were affected.
It is unclear whether the threats against media outlets are connected to the air travel incidents. According to the Irish government, as reported by the news agency PA, the threats follow directly on the ongoing disruption to European air travel caused by similar threats, and it appears likely that this is a coordinated disruption campaign.
It remains unknown who is behind the many bomb threats in Europe. In some cases, claim-of-responsibility messages were received referring to “Fighters of the Men’s State,” a far-right group from Russia, but a connection cannot yet be proven.
Albares acknowledged it will take some time to establish who is behind the actions, but said he was confident, “We will find out.”
