Wave of bomb threats target Irish media outlets and more European flights

DUBLIN — Bomb threats targeting several of Ireland’s top media organizations are almost certainly linked to next week’s European Political Community summit in Dublin, a government official told POLITICO. Newsrooms at Irish national broadcaster RTÉ , Virgin Media TV, the Irish Independent newspaper and Newstalk radio received identically worded emails Friday morning claiming bombs had been left inside their offices.

Three of the newsrooms were evacuated, disrupting RTÉ and Newstalk programs, while Virgin staff kept broadcasts running . Police confirmed they found no suspicious devices.

“We have expected a rise in hybrid threats to Ireland because of our hosting of the EU presidency, and the EPC meeting will be by far the biggest set-piece event of that presidency, so one must presume it’s no coincidence that we’re experiencing this spike in hybrid activity now,” the Irish official said.