Bomb threats force evacuations at Irish media outlets

• Several Irish media outlets, including RTE, the Irish Independent, Newstalk, Today FM and Virgin Media, evacuated staff after bomb threats were sent to newsrooms.
• Deputy prime minister Simon Harris called it a “serious and evolving situation” and said police, security forces and cyber experts are treating it seriously and working with European officials.
• The threats are part of a wider wave across Europe, with nearly 30 passenger flights targeted this week and no one yet claiming responsibility ahead of EU meetings in Dublin next week.

DUBLIN – Several Irish media outlets said they had to evacuate their staff after bomb threats were sent to newsrooms on Nov 6, as more European flights were hit by bomb threats.

Dozens of commercial flights in Europe have been targeted by false bomb threats this week, forcing the authorities to reroute some planes or escort civilian aircraft with fighter jets.

“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”.

“I do want to assure the people of this country that this is an issue being taken very seriously by the gardai (police), by our security forces and our cyber experts”, he said, adding that Irish authorities were liaising with European officials.

Police were deployed to Ireland’s national broadcaster RTE’s headquarters in Dublin, where armed officers were reported at the scenel, following the hoaxes in Ireland.

“RTE buildings have been evacuated following a bomb threat,” said the broadcaster on its website.

Staff were also evacuated from the offices of the Irish Independent newspaper, Newstalk and Today FM radio stations, and Virgin Media television, according to reports.

NewsTalk host Claire Byrne said after returning to air that staff at the outlet had been advised to leave their building following “a message that we received”.

“We’ve been advised that we could return to the building and that that warning was a hoax,” she added.

On Nov 6, at least eight flights to and from Prague as well as a flight due to depart from Lisbon were hit by bomb threats.

Nearly 30 passenger flights have been targeted across Europe this week, forcing some aircraft to make unscheduled landings and prompting fighter jet deployments.

No responsibility has been established for the threats, which come ahead of high-profile European Union meetings in Dublin next week. AFP