British broadcaster Sky said on Friday it has received a security threat, hours after Irish broadcaster RTE evacuated its building following a bomb threat, and as a wave of bomb threats have affected European flights this week.
Sky was one of a number of media organisations that received a security threat, the broadcaster, which is owned by Comcast, said in a statement read by a presenter on Sky News.
“We have carried out a security assessment and reported the matter to the relevant authorities. The safety and security of our colleagues is our primary concern, and we are working closely with authorities to ensure our people and operations remain secure. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
Earlier on Friday, RTE said the threat it had received claimed to be by the same group who have been behind a wave of bomb threats issued to passenger flights around Europe this week. The reporter read excerpts from the email on air, but did not name the group.
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Key Points
- Sky receives security threat - full statement
- The latest in a wave of sabotage across Europe
- Inside the threat received by RTE
- Sky News 'working closely with authorities' after bomb threat
- Europe facing 'hybrid aggression and a form of psychological warfare'
Recap: Media threats likely to be 'coordinated campaign of disruption'
17:00 , Bryony GoochThe Taoiseach has said it is likely the media threats are part of a “co-ordinated campaign of disruption”.
“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.
“It is not known yet who is responsible for these threats, whether it is individuals or a centralised or co-ordinated effort. 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.”
Watch: Bomb hoax threats: Could we see more in the future? Experts explain
16:30 , Bryony GoochPictured: A Ryanair aircraft ascends following takeoff from Vaclav Havel Airport Prague after Czech police registered bomb threats against flights
16:00 , Bryony Gooch
Countries affected by hoax threats
15:45 , Bryony Gooch- United Kingdom (Sky News)
- Ireland (RTE and other media outlets)
- Bulgaria (Nova TV)
- Serbia (flights)
- Finland (flights)
- Spain (flights)
Emails sent titled 'MESSAGE TO THE WEST'
15:30 , Bryony GoochIt is unclear who was behind Friday's hoaxes.
The emails to RTE and Nova were signed off with the name Mikhail Andropov, with a message saying the author was one of the leaders of a group responsible for this week's plane hoaxes.
"But this is only the beginning. What happened this week is just a small part of what awaits Europe in the near future," the message added.
The purported author shared a surname with Yuri Andropov, a former General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. The title of the email “MESSAGE TO THE WEST,” echoed the title of a biography of Andropov called “New Challenge to the West”.
It was unclear if this was a sign of Russian involvement, or an attempt to point the finger at Moscow.
Police came to the Nova newsroom in Sofia, which was evacuated, checked and deemed safe. Broadcasting was not interrupted and employees returned to their desks, broadcasters said.
Staff returned to RTE's campus after police completed a more than three-hour sweep of the buildings.
Security agencies yet to determine if threats to aviation and media organisations are part of coordinated attack
15:15 , Bryony GoochIrish prime minister Micheal Martin said security agencies in Europe had not yet determined whether the threats to air travel and media organisations were being made by individuals or as part of a coordinated attack.
"It just illustrates how relatively simple it can be to cause disruption and to undermine the normal operation of society through unconventional activities of this kind, which are designed to cause disruption, designed to cause fear and anxiety," Martin told RTE radio shortly after news programming went back on air from an outside broadcasting unit.
"We have to remain calm," he added.
Travellers’ rights on flights affected by bomb threats – here’s what you need to know
15:00 , Bryony Gooch
What are travellers' rights on bomb threat affected flights? Here’s what to know
Bomb threats to TV stations across Europe warned 'the clock is ticking'
14:56 , Bryony GoochBomb threats warning "the clock is ticking" were sent to TV stations across Europe on Friday, prompting evacuations and programming to be suspended.
Warnings were sent to Irish broadcaster RTE, Britain's Sky, Bulgarian private station Nova TV and others, the companies said. No bombs were found at any affected site. RTE programmes were replaced by music and a pre-recorded message, some for as long as three hours.
The alerts follow a string of hoax bomb threats that has disrupted passenger flights from Serbia to Finland to Spain and beyond in recent days, forcing diversions, emergency landings and security sweeps, though no explosives have been found so far.
They also come amid a growing sense of unease about hacking scams in recent weeks, including cyberattacks on supermarkets.
"We want the whole world to know about us, which is why one of our operatives has planted an explosive device in your building," read one email received by Nova and RTE on Friday. "It will detonate in 45 minutes. The clock is ticking."
Fridges, blood banks and aviation - the pattern behind latest examples of hybrid warfare
14:45 , Bryony GoochJesper Frederiksen, Heimdal's CEO, tells The Independent that the recent attacks on fridges, blood banks, and hoaxes on aviation all line up with “psychological and political” forms of hybrid warfare.
“There’s no money in this, so the payoff is psychological and political. These attacks prove reach, test how fast governments respond, and wear down public confidence that the state can protect everyday life.
“Food, blood and air travel were chosen because everyone depends on them and the disruption is instantly visible.”
Pictured: Sky News headquarters
14:32 , Bryony Gooch
Irish government respond to threats made against Irish media outlets
14:20 , Bryony GoochRead below the full statement from the Taoiseach to the bomb threats made against Irish media organisations:
“The threats made this morning against media organisations here are very serious.
“The Gardaí were alerted to these threats and immediately took the precautionary actions that were necessary in co-operation with those who have been targeted.
“It is important to emphasise that the first concern in incidents such as these must be the safety and security of the people who are affected.
“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.
“It is not known yet who is responsible for these threats, whether it is individuals or a centralised or co-ordinated effort. 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.
“The Gardaí, working in cooperation with the Defence Forces, and our cyber and aviation authorities, are working to establish who is responsible. The Gardaí and the Defence Forces are in ongoing liaison with their European security counterparts. Every effort will be made to identify those responsible and to hold them to account.
“The main priority, however, is to ensure that people are kept safe, despite the unavoidable and unwelcome disruption that this may cause.
“The Gardaí have been alive to the risk of disruptive threats such as these in the context of planning for EU Presidency events and are exercising the relevant protocols in response.”
RTÉ threat warned a bomb would explode within 45 minutes
14:08 , Bryony GoochRTÉ Radio One presenter David McCullagh told listeners that the threat received by the broadcaster warned that a bomb would explode within 45 minutes.
RTÉ staff including radio and television presenters in Dublin were told to leave the studio buildings after an email was received on Friday morning.
Children being looked after in a creche on site were also evacuated.
The incidents came after bomb threats were sent to airlines across Europe, including one targeting flights from Dublin, over recent days.
How concerned should European governments and the public be about the risk of further incidents?
14:00 , Bryony GoochDray Agha, senior manager, tactical response at Huntress told The Independent that further disruption could be expected.
"The risk of further disruption remains elevated as digital systems continue to control physical operations across Europe. Businesses must identify which of their physical assets can be reached remotely and disconnect those that do not require internet access.
“The public should expect further isolated service interruptions but these are manageable if organisations establish safe manual workarounds."
Europe facing 'hybrid aggression and a form of psychological warfare'
13:43 , Bryony GoochSpain's foreign minister said the continent appeared to be facing "hybrid aggression and a form of psychological warfare".
Around half a dozen flights were disrupted in some way on Tuesday and more than two dozen on Thursday, some of them making unplanned landings or being escorted to their destinations by fighter jets.
On Friday, jets escorted airliners flying from Brussels to Sofia and from Prague to Bucharest and Cyprus through Hungarian airspace due to bomb threats, Hungarian Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin-Szendi said.
He also said NATO had ordered an air patrol near the Hungarian-Romanian border, the first report that the Western defence alliance had become involved.
Danish police said threats had been directed at traffic at Copenhagen airport but that there appeared to be no danger to passengers. The airport said it was "operating normally".
Czech police registered bomb threats to nine flights departing from or arriving in Prague. An airport spokesperson said no flights had been cancelled as a result.
However, an Italian airport authority source said a Wizz Air flight from Prague to Rome had been diverted to Venice.
France said four new bomb threats had been made to aircraft flying over French territory, and that all had landed safely.
A Ryanair flight from Rome landed as scheduled in Lisbon, CNN Portugal reported.
Security experts said on Thursday that the threats had the hallmarks of a coordinated "hybrid attack", although it was always possible that individuals were issuing copycat threats or acting on personal grievances.
Inside the bomb threats that have grounded flights all week
13:40 , Bryony Gooch
Bomb threats ground flights across Europe for second day – causing travel chaos
Sky News 'working closely with authorities' after bomb threat
13:34 , Bryony GoochBroadcaster Sky has said it is “working closely with authorities” after the company received a bomb threat on Friday.
The broadcaster was one of a number of media organisations to receive the threat, including Ireland’s national broadcaster RTÉ.
A Sky spokesperson said: “Earlier today, Sky was one of a number of media organisations that received a security threat.
“We have carried out a security assessment and reported the matter to the relevant authorities.
“The safety and security of our colleagues is our primary concern, and we are working closely with authorities to ensure our people and operations remain secure.
“It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
It is understood the broadcaster received a bomb threat.
Watch: Could we see more bomb hoax threats in the future? Experts explain
13:33 , Bryony GoochPictured: Police rush to scene of RTE bomb threat
13:29 , Bryony Gooch
The latest in a wave of sabotage across Europe
13:27 , ReutersWhile no country has attributed blame for the threats, they come after a wave of sabotage attacks and attempts on targets across Europe ranging from German electricity substations to defence-related facilities in the Baltic region, supermarket refrigerators in France and elsewhere and Leipzig airport in Germany.
Many officials have linked the campaign to Europe’s support for Ukraine in its war against invading Russian forces, accusing Moscow of a campaign of “hybrid” disruptions that are essentially cheap to execute, easy to deny and not expected to trigger an armed response. Moscow has strongly denied involvement.
Spanish foreign minister José Manuel Albares told the national broadcaster TVE that, while it would take time to determine exactly what happened, “it cannot be mere coincidence that so many incidents with exactly the same modus operandi are happening across Europe”.
“The most reasonable assumption is that we are facing an attempt at hybrid aggression and a form of psychological warfare,” he said, adding that Europe must be prepared for more such challenges.
On Thursday, an airport source in Italy said bomb threats had been sent to several airlines and airport operators in Rome and Milan claiming to be from “fighters of the Male State”, a far-right anti-feminist movement banned in Russia.
Reuters could not confirm who had sent the email. Vladislav Pozdnyakov, a Russian blogger who set up Male State in 2016, said it no longer existed and was not involved in any way.
Newsrooms across Ireland and Bulgaria received bomb threats
13:24 , ReutersNewsrooms in Ireland and Bulgaria received emailed bomb threats on Friday from a purported “Mikhail Andropov”, claiming responsibility for a widening wave of hoax threats disrupting passenger flights across Europe.
The messages, sent to Bulgaria’s Nova TV and the Irish public broadcaster RTE, which evacuated its offices, were headlined “Message to the West” and portrayed the threats as the prelude to a series of attacks on means of transport across Europe. The British broadcaster Sky also said it had received a security threat.
Reuters was not able to establish the identity of the sender, the origin of the emails, or whether they had in fact come from the same source as the threats to any or all of the dozens of flights affected since Tuesday. No explosive devices have been found and all planes have landed safely.
More about RTÉ's threat
13:22 , Bryony GoochRTÉ put “staff safety first” and evacuated employees shortly after 9am, the organisation’s deputy director general has said.
Adrian Lynch told RTÉ’s News At One radio programme: “I received a call and shortly before nine o’clock from our deputy managing director of news to inform me of the email that had come in.
“He’d already forwarded that email to the director general.
“Just after nine, I then spoke with the director General and we took the decision that we had to put staff safety first.
“So we began a process of evacuation and we activated our business continuity plan.
“So we took this threat very seriously and I have to say it’s extremely sinister and it’s also very sinister that this happened to a number of media organisations simultaneously.”
Threat against Sky the latest in a number of scares this week
13:19 , Bryony GoochThe bomb threat against Sky is the latest scare this week. Flights around the world were disrupted by bomb threats.
Irish broadcaster RTE also said it received a threat, claiming to be by the same group who have been behind a wave of bomb threats issued to passenger flights around Europe this week.
The reporter read excerpts from the email on air, but did not name the group.
Sky receives security threat - full statement
13:16 , Bryony GoochBritish broadcaster Sky said on Friday it has received a security threat.
Sky was one of a number of media organisations that received a security threat, the broadcaster, which is owned by Comcast, said in a statement read by a presenter on Sky News.
“We have carried out a security assessment and reported the matter to the relevant authorities. The safety and security of our colleagues is our primary concern, and we are working closely with authorities to ensure our people and operations remain secure. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”
