France probes bogus bomb threats against airlines for possible foreign-power links

French prosecutors have opened an investigation into a series of fake bomb threats targeting commercial flights in Europe over the past week. The probe is examining whether foreign powers may have been involved in sending the threats, according to the Paris prosecutor's office. Several of the incidents concerned flights passing over French territory, adding a cross-border security dimension to the case.

The investigation is focused on identifying the authors of the emails that spread the false claims and on determining whether they have any potential links to foreign powers. The French government has also said it is looking into the origin of the threats. No explosives have been found in any of the incidents so far, and the people responsible have not been identified.

Ireland's government said the hoax bomb claims sent to Irish media outlets were likely part of a coordinated campaign of disruption linked to the threats against airlines. That assessment suggests the false alerts may not have been isolated incidents, but part of a wider effort to unsettle aviation operations and public confidence. The threats have affected dozens of commercial flights in Europe, according to the investigation.

The case comes at a time when European countries are closely watching for possible foreign interference affecting both economic sectors and daily life. Aviation is a sensitive target because even unverified threats can force checks, delay flights and divert resources. The mention of possible foreign-power involvement raises the stakes beyond a routine hoax investigation and places the case in a broader security context.

One detail under review is the wording used in some of the messages, which were signed "fighters of the Male State". That name matches a radical misogynist group in Russia, although there has been no confirmed link between the group and the threats. The group's founder has denied any involvement and said the movement does not exist since 2021.

What remains unclear is who sent the emails, whether the campaign was centrally coordinated, and whether any state actor was involved. Investigators have not said how many flights were directly affected or whether any operational disruptions followed each threat. The probe is continuing, and officials are expected to keep examining the source of the messages and any possible international links.

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