Media reports Indian airline bomb threats trailed to UK, Germany
Date
10/23/2024 8:09:45 AM
(MENAFN) Indian investigators have linked a series of bomb threats against airlines in the country to accounts operating from the UK and Germany, according to a report by the Indian Express. This revelation comes amid heightened security measures in response to more than 20 threats that targeted both domestic and international flights over the past week.
The threats, which were primarily made through social media, began on Monday with three incidents, escalated to ten on Tuesday, and continued with at least six more on Wednesday. By Thursday, authorities reported that at least 14 flights had also received bomb threats. Investigations have largely established these threats as hoaxes, prompting Indian agencies to request X (formerly known as Twitter) to provide the IP addresses of the accounts responsible for the posts and to remove the offending content.
India’s Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu commented that initial inquiries had not revealed any overarching conspiracy behind the threats. He noted that many of the calls appeared to have originated from minors and pranksters, emphasizing that the Indian government is contemplating the introduction of new legislation to combat such hoaxes.
Despite this assessment, investigators are working to identify a "pattern" in the threats targeting various airlines. According to unnamed sources cited by the Hindustan Times, there seems to be a coordinated approach to the threats, where a single message is followed closely by a wave of similar threats. A security official highlighted that the intent behind these attacks appears to be to "disturb the aviation sector, create panic, and keep the agencies on their toes."
As the investigation continues, Indian authorities remain vigilant, recognizing the potential implications for national security and public safety.
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