Caption: Travellers scan their boarding pass to enter the security control area at the Terminal 1 of Rome Fiumicino airport, on November 5, 2026
In Brief
- Media Outlets Targeted: Major Irish news organisations—including RTÉ, Virgin Media, Newstalk, and The Irish Independent—were evacuated on Friday following hoax bomb threats.
- Aviation Link: The Irish government believes the alerts are likely part of a ‘co-ordinated campaign of disruption’ connected to a week-long wave of bomb threats against European commercial flights.
- High-Level Probe: Irish police, military, cyber, and aviation authorities are working with European counterparts to track down the culprits ahead of major EU meetings in Dublin next week.
DUBLIN, Ireland (AFP) – Ireland’s government said on Friday that hoax bomb threats sent to Irish media outlets—amid a spate of similar alerts targeting flights across Europe—were “likely” part of a “co-ordinated campaign of disruption.”
The alerts in Dublin came as more European commercial flights were hit on Friday by bomb threats, the latest in a week-long wave that has forced authorities to reroute aircraft, make unscheduled landings, and scramble fighter jets to escort civilian planes.
The Irish government confirmed that police were promptly deployed after national broadcaster RTÉ, Virgin Media, Newstalk radio, and The Irish Independent newspaper all received what turned out to be hoax bomb warnings.
Newstalk presenter Claire Byrne said upon returning to the airwaves that staff had been advised to evacuate 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.
In a statement, the government said: “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 government described the alerts targeting domestic media organisations as “very serious.”
“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,” the statement read.
Authorities noted that police are working alongside Ireland’s military, cyber, and aviation agencies, as well as European counterparts, to identify the perpetrators.
“Every effort will be made to identify those responsible and to hold them to account,” the government vowed.
No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the threats, which come ahead of two days of high-profile European Union meetings in Dublin next week.
