Europe bomb hoaxes spread to media, more flights hit

Some threatening emails signed by Russian far-right group but authorities still seeking confirmation

Ireland’s government said on Friday that hoax bomb claims sent to Irish media outlets amid a spate of threats against Europe-wide flights were “likely” part of a “co-ordinated campaign of disruption”.

The hoaxes in Dublin came as more European flights were also hit by bomb threats, forcing authorities to reroute some planes or escort civilian aircraft with fighter jets.

The Irish government confirmed police responded after the national broadcaster RTE, Virgin Media, Newstalk radio and The Irish Independent newspaper all received what turned out to be hoax bomb claims.

“It is not known yet who is responsible for these threats, whether it is individuals or a centralised or co-ordinated effort,” it said in a statement.

“However, these threats come on the heels of the ongoing disruption to aviation around Europe caused by similar threats, and it seems likely that this is a co-ordinated campaign of disruption.”

It added that “the threats made this morning against media organisations here are very serious”.

“Hoax threats such as these cause fear, distress and disruption to people going about their daily lives and activities; they achieve no positive purpose whatsoever,” the statement said.

It noted that police were working alongside Ireland’s military, cyber and aviation authorities, as well as European counterparts, to find the culprits.

“Every effort will be made to identify those responsible and to hold them to account,” the government vowed. (Story continues below)

Passengers from an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome leave in a bus at the Evreux-Fauville Air Base in France after their plane had been rerouted and escorted by military aircraft following a suspected bomb threat, on Nov 5, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Searching for the source

Authorities are scrambling to identify the sources of the threats. Some of the messages have come in emails signed by “fighters of the Male State”, which matches the name of a far-right movement in Russia — though AFP has not confirmed any link to the messages.

No explosives have been found in any of the incidents so far.

“We don’t yet know whether it’s an individual behind this effort or some form of a co-ordinated effort,” Irish Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris told Cork 96FM radio.

He said it was a “serious and evolving situation”.

Ireland is scheduled to host two days of high-profile European Union meetings in Dublin next week.

New threats, meanwhile, targeted multiple flights to and from Lisbon, Rome, Prague and Sofia on Friday, authorities said.

A Ryanair flight scheduled to depart from Lisbon for Rome was targeted with a threat while the plane scheduled to fly the route was still approaching the Portuguese capital on its way over from Italy.

And at least 11 flights were targeted in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria: Four flights arriving at Prague airport and five flights leaving Prague were threatened, as well as two flights to Sofia.

Nearly 30 passenger flights were targeted across Europe on Thursday, including planes bound for London, Madrid and Copenhagen.

Many of the airliner threats have targeted low-cost carriers.

Portuguese police said in a statement that following the threat to the Ryanair flight on Friday, “the Special Police Unit (UEP) carried out a security inspection of the aircraft, without any explosive device or suspicious object being detected”.

Misogynistic messages

Some previous hoax messages seen by AFP have contained misogynistic messages.

“We, fighters of the Male State, with our actions today will leave a mark in history. Your feminist regime will remember it forever. The explosion will occur in 60 minutes. Today your skies will turn red,” said one sent to multiple email addresses for Sofia airport in Bulgaria.

Birmingham Airport in central England confirmed receiving a similar message from a group identified as “Men’s State”.

The Russian group Male State was designated an “extremist” organisation by the country’s courts in 2021.

But it then supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Experts say it is unclear whether it is connected to Russian authorities.