NEWS CENTER / The events in Europe in the last week have alarmed the aviation and media sectors. Fake bomb threats, which caused flights to change direction, emergency landings and temporary closure of airports, began to target news organizations as of Friday. No explosives have been found in the security checks carried out so far. Although all the reports were unfounded, the spread of threats to different countries and sectors increased concerns.
Moreover, these developments came on the heels of other recent security problems in Europe. Incidents such as attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems and the intrusion of unmanned aerial vehicles into airspace have reignited security debates on the continent.
THE FIRST WAVE STARTED ON TUESDAY
According to CBC, bomb threats targeting European air traffic reached a remarkable intensity on Tuesday. At least 7 planes and a cruise ship were the targets of fake bomb threats in countries including Poland, Bulgaria, Italy and Spain.
Due to the warnings, some planes had to make emergency landings, fighter jets took off and temporary closures occurred at airports. A second wave of reports emerged on Thursday. This time, at least 27 flights were reported to be affected by threats.
On Friday, Vaclav Havel Airport in Prague announced that a total of 9 flights were the target of bomb threats. Among the threats were planes coming from Denmark, Spain and England, as well as flights departing for the Netherlands, Cyprus, Romania, Italy and England.
'MIKHAIL ANDROPOV'
Panic in Europe took on a new dimension on Friday. Bomb threats were sent via email to media outlets in Ireland and Bulgaria. According to CBC, in the messages, a person who claimed to be responsible for the wave of threats that disrupted passenger flights across Europe introduced himself as "Mikhail Andropov".
In the e-mails sent with the title "Message to the West", expressions were used that foreshadowed a series of attacks that would target transportation vehicles. Security teams took action after Bulgaria's Nova TV and Ireland's public broadcaster RTE were targeted.
RTE's headquarters in Dublin was evacuated and broadcasts were temporarily suspended. British broadcaster Sky also announced that it had received a security threat.
However, the authorities have not yet been able to confirm the real identity of the person sending the emails, the point from which the messages were sent, or whether they came from the same source as the threats against flights.
HOW ARE BOMB REPORTS DELIVERED?
Bomb threats against aircraft are often communicated through anonymous emails or phone calls sent to airlines, airports or authorities. These messages claim that there was an explosive on the plane.
However, security units do not share every detail about the methods of reporting notifications with the public in order not to jeopardize investigations and encourage similar initiatives.
An official from Prague Airport told CNN on Thursday that the airport received a threatening message from an anonymous e-mail address. Czech police also reported that similar emails were sent to other airports in Europe.
In his evaluation, Eric Schouten, head of the aviation security organization Dyami, explained that the security unit of an airline company first passes the incoming notice through a specific checklist. The authorities are then informed. Depending on the nature of the threat, fighter jets can be launched or planes can be directed to predetermined airports and undergo comprehensive security screening.
EXPLOSIVE WAS NOT FOUND, BUT THE DANGER CANNOT BE IGNORED
No explosives were found in any of the planes targeted in this week's incidents. All flights, including those that received threats on Friday, landed safely.
However, experts point out that the fact that most of the bomb threats are unfounded does not mean that security units can underestimate the threats. Every report must be treated as if it were real and the necessary checks must be completed.
A spokesman for the British government described this week's incidents as "malicious fake threats" and noted that the country has one of the most robust aviation security systems in the world.
According to aviation security experts, the most striking point is the timing and apparent coordination of the events, rather than the bomb threats themselves. Although airline companies have faced similar threats before, experiencing a wave of this scale and covering different countries is considered unusual.
WHO IS BEHIND THE BOMB REPORTS?
The most curious question in Europe still remains unclear. Authorities have not formally held any organization or state actor behind the threats targeting aircraft and media outlets. No concrete evidence has emerged to show that the events are linked to a government.
However, during the period when the wave of denunciations took place, discussions about Russia's possible role in Europe came to the fore again. Several European officials accuse Moscow of what is described as a "hybrid" or "gray zone" activity on the continent, aimed at disrupting the security and daily life of countries without leading to direct military conflict.
It is considered that such attempts can be carried out at low cost, responsibility can be easily denied, and do not require a direct armed response.
Countries that have recently experienced various security disruptions, such as Denmark, Poland and Romania, have previously linked Moscow to similar incidents. Russia rejects these accusations.
However, there is no confirmed connection between the current bomb threats and Russia. The real identity of "Mikhail Andropov", whose name was used in the e-mails, has not yet been determined.
For now, the name behind the threats causing panic across Europe is unknown. What is certain is that bomb threats have now become a broader security problem targeting not only aircraft but also the continent's media outlets.
