Who could be behind hoax bomb threats to European air travel?

What the report says

European aviation authorities are investigating a wave of hoax bomb threats that targeted airlines and airports across the continent. BBC Security correspondent Frank Gardner reported that the false warnings were issued in quick succession and were serious enough in some cases to prompt aircraft diversions or, in Italy, fighter-jet escorts. Heathrow was noted as a major exception, where the threat was not treated as credible enough to divert the aircraft.

The pattern has led some observers to suspect Russian involvement, especially amid wider concerns about cyber-attacks, drone sightings and other disruptive incidents in Europe in recent months. Gardner said the timing and coordination of the threats have fueled speculation about so-called hybrid or grey-zone tactics, which are intended to cause disruption while remaining difficult to attribute.

However, the BBC report stressed that there was no hard evidence linking the airline threats to Russia, Iran or any proxy groups as of Thursday evening. One email sent to airport authorities in Rome referred to “Fighters of the Male State,” a name that appears to echo a banned Russian ultra-right group, but the article said this alone is not enough to identify who is behind the hoaxes.

The immediate challenge for police, airport operators and transport ministries is to trace the source of the messages and reduce the impact if similar threats happen again. The issue matters because even false alerts can disrupt air travel, consume security resources and increase public anxiety across Europe.