The key facts
- RTÉ and Nova TV received threatening letters from
Threats to media outlets and evacuations
The Irish broadcaster RTÉ and the Bulgarian television channel Nova TV received letters with bomb threats signed with the name Reuters reported this. According to the outlet, this is the same sender who previously claimed involvement in a wave of false bomb threats against aircraft in Europe and threatened new attacks.
Contents of the letters
Both letters bore the heading an accomplice had planted an explosive device in the recipient's building, which was supposed to go off in 45 minutes. Among the next targets, he named passenger aircraft, cruise liners, the metro, and trains.
Newsroom reactions
After receiving the threats, RTÉ evacuated staff from its complex in Dublin. Police examined the premises for more than three hours but found no explosives; during the check, the broadcaster replaced its regular programming with music and pre-recorded messages. In Sofia, the Nova TV newsroom was also evacuated, but the channel's broadcasting was not interrupted. Other Irish and British media companies, including Sky News and the Irish Independent, also received threats.
Leads and investigation
RTÉ journalists uncovered a possible technical lead: the sender's address was linked to an educational institution in Lithuania, and the account details had appeared in at least two data breaches. Cybersecurity expert Maciej Makowski suggested that the attacker may have gained access to a real email account and used it to send the threats — RTÉ reported this in its own investigation.
Who is behind the threats remains unknown
The Irish police are also examining similarities between these messages and threats previously received by schools in County Carlow, but there is no confirmation that all the mailings were organized by a single group. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin said that the authorities have not yet determined whether one person or an organized group was behind the acts; law enforcement agencies are cooperating with their European counterparts. The name
Context of the aviation threats
According to Life.ru, on Friday, November 6 alone, at least 15 passenger flights received warnings about possible explosives. Security services are inspecting the aircraft, some crews are changing their routes, and airports are tightening security measures. The largest number of alarming messages was recorded in the Czech Republic: the threats affected nine flights connected with Prague airport — four aircraft were heading to the Czech capital, and another five were preparing for departure.
