Bomb hoaxes that disrupted at least 25 European flights on Thursday were reportedly sent by an anti-feminist group calling itself the "Fighters of the Male State." The emails claimed the group intended to "turn the skies red" with mid-air explosions and make "its mark on history."
The threats were directed at flights to Italy, a country led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of the world's prominent female leaders. The group's stated motive was to target a "feminist regime."
One Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Rome was diverted to Evreux, a French military air base, after receiving a suspected bomb threat. A French Air and Space Force spokesperson confirmed the plane "landed safely," and the airline stated it was working to reacommodate passengers. The flight carried 151 passengers and six crew members.
Another flight, a Finnair service from Helsinki to Rome, also reported a threat and landed safely in the Italian capital. Numerous other flights across Europe were escorted by military fighter jets as a precautionary measure.
While no country has officially claimed responsibility for the series of threats, several European officials have suggested Russia's involvement in "hybrid attacks" against nations supporting Ukraine. Denmark, Poland, and Romania have previously accused Moscow directly, and Germany attributed a similar incident in August to Russia, which has denied all allegations.