False bomb threats are increasing in schools, who are the perpetrators?

More than 160 fake alerts the bomb was destroyed. reported in schools in France since the start of the year, no region is spared. Several alleged perpetrators of these threats have been arrested. arrested.

Eight educational establishments in Grenoble were Evacuated and closed this Thursday, October 5. The reason? Warning alerts the bomb received by each school, college or high school. Two other such threats have been made. reported in the Isère department earlier in the week. But these false alarms are far from being the first, they have even become a phenomenon: more than 160 educational establishments have been affected. the target of false alarms the bomb since the beginning of the year. However, falsely terrorist threats have become particularly widespread since the start of the school year in September 2023 and half of the year. French departments are affected, more precisely 46 according to the national police.

For each false alarm the bomb, the operating mode is essentially the same: a signed email; by a pseudo-terrorist is sent on all inboxes, those of teachers and students alike, and warns that an explosive object has been damaged. concealed within the establishment. The message is sometimes identical, word for word. The 160 alerts available The bomb turned out to be hoaxes, but all led to the death of the bomb. intervention by law enforcement as a precautionary and security measure.

"Diversified profiles" behind these threats

Investigations are open to the public. each new threat and law enforcement often manages to solve them. identify suspects who may be the authors of these false alerts. This was a great success. This is the case for threats launched in establishments in Seine-Saint-Denis, Hautes-Pyrénées, Gironde or the Normandy region, for example. These suspects present "diverse profiles" according to the spokesperson for the national police, Sonia Fibleuil, interviewed by RMC, but these are often adolescents "who are not necessarily known to our services," a police source at 20 Minutes.

The motivations of the authors of the hoaxes are very rarely political, it is more of a game or a means of being spared from harm. courses. The police spokesperson believes that for others these false alarms are means of "scaring fear or testing new operating methods" piracy. The authors of the false alerts hack the digital workspaces of educational establishments, such as the Pronote site, and access their files. This space by pretending to be a student.

The police and gendarmerie services, but also the judicial police and the units specializing in cybercrime are mobilized ;e in these investigations, because the consequences of each false alarm can be avoided. the bomb are very heavy: evacuation of the establishment, search for explosives by the police and sometimes the mine clearance services, but also the destruction ;dibilization of proven terrorist threats. Sanctions exist for the authors of these false alarms, even young people. Most of the suspects are also being prosecuted for "death threats" and "false denunciation" and incur up to two years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros.