2023-10-23 10:44:00
« The smart guys or the little jokers who engage in these kinds of games are in fact big idiots or big delinquents and we won’t let anything go unnoticed. », said Minister Delegate for Transport Clément Beaune on Friday. Since Wednesday, nearly 70 false bomb threats have targeted airports throughout France, disrupting the departure on vacation of many French people.
But behind these “ little jokers » almost systematically hides the same email address, explained Clément Beaune on Sunday at the microphone of the show Political questions (France inter, France TV, Le Monde).
« Since Wednesday, it is almost always the same email address that is used, located outside the European Union, in Switzerland », he detailed, suggesting that this put the authors of this “typical email that looks the same from one day to the next » beyond the reach of some sanctions in the EU.
He then invited hosting sites to help the French authorities: “ Everyone has a responsibility, including platforms and social networks, to not support this type of attack and to cooperate as quickly as possible with French civil aviation and our justice system. “. The minister also recalled that he had asked each airport to file a complaint for each alert received by email or call.
Cultural places also affected
In addition to airports, certain public establishments were targeted. The Palace of Versailles announced its temporary evacuation on Sunday, for the seventh time in nine days. A suspect was nevertheless arrested on Friday for the only alert issued by telephone concerning the castle, the others having been posted on a government website, according to police sources.
Regarding their motivation, “ there can be a mixture between people who make bad jokes, who want to scare people for real, and sometimes also a kind of competition in stupidity between hackers », suggested the Minister of Transport. In any case, making false alarms is “ extremely dangerous ”, because this mobilizes the security forces “for several hours » and requires evacuation in certain cases so that “ people gather outside which is also a safety issue », recalled the minister. In total, “more than 60 investigations, all locations combined, have been launched “, he said.
Strengthen security at airports and train stations
Since the assassination on October 13 of teacher Dominique Bernard in his high school in Arras (Pas-de-Calais) by an individual with an S file, France has raised the alert level of the Vigipirate plan against attacks to the maximum level. Police and military patrols from Operation Sentinel have been reinforced, as have the number of agents in train stations and airports. Starting next week, “40% more patrols are being set up » in Paris airports, announced Clément Beaune.
Beyond that, the minister wishes “ more powers » conferred on the SNCF security forces, in addition to the reinforced skills already introduced for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. He already announced last week, during a trip to the Gare du Nord in the capital, the reinforcement of 20% of the number of security agents at the SNCF. The objective is to increase the detection and protection workforce by 50% by next summer. And beyond the number of agents, the government also wishes to strengthen the “ frequency » and the “ presence of patrols “. Concerning the RATP, « a plan to strengthen the workforce is also planned », Added the minister, without further details.
(With AFP)
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