- A series of terror threats have forced the evacuation of France’s Versailles palace three times in recent days.
- At least 15 airports were forced to evacuate and 130 flights were also canceled due to false bomb threats.
- Officials, who believe young people may be responsible for France’s false alarms, are threatening callers with jail terms and heavy fines.
France’s government is threatening jail terms and heavy fines for callers who make fake bomb threats after a series of false alarms forced the evacuation of 15 airports and the cancellation of 130 flights and closed the doors of the Palace of Versailles three times in five days .
French officials have suggested that young people and children may be responsible. Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti blamed “little jokers, little clowns” and vowed: “They will be found, they will be punished.”
French law allows hoax calls to be punishable by up to 3 years in prison and $47,000 in fines, the minister said. He said the parents of the minors could be ordered to pay for damages.
PALACE OF VERSAILLES EVACUATED TWICE FOR ‘SAFETY REASONS’ AFTER WEEK OF TERROR THREATS
Police officers patrol during the funeral service of French teacher Dominique Bernard, 57, who was stabbed to death at school by a suspected Islamic extremist in northern France on October 19, 2023. France is on high alert following the incident. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)
“We don’t need that. We don’t need rioters, psychosis, right now,” he said Wednesday.
France is on high alert after last week’s fatal stabbing of a teacher, blamed on a suspected Islamic extremist who has reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group.
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The funeral of Dominique Bernard, the French language teacher who was stabbed to death in the neck, was held on Thursday in Arras, the northern city where he taught at the Gambetta-Carnot school.
French Transport Minister Clement Beaune said false threats were made against 17 airports on Wednesday, causing widespread disruption, the evacuation of 15 airports, the cancellation of 130 flights and many flight delays.
“These fake alerts aren’t bad jokes. They’re crimes,” Beaune posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
