France police detain 13-year-old over at least 380 false bomb threats

Paris — A 13-year-old is being questioned by police in western France in connection with at least 380 false bomb threats. Police say the adolescent is suspected of having emailed or called in the threats to airports, courthouses and universities across France.

The teenager, who is believed to suffer from behavioral issues, was picked up by police on Monday. The teen, identified as a boy by local media, faces multiple charges, notably of providing false information about impending destruction and of making death threats.

Officials say there has been a huge increase in hoax threats across France since the fall of 2023. In Rennes, in western France, a series of fake warnings about bombs in the city at the start of January led investigators to detain and question a family of four from Laval, 45 miles away, on Monday.

Local police said the parents and one child were quickly excluded from the investigation and released, but the youngest child, the 13-year-old, admitted having made numerous bomb threats against institutions across the country. He was held in custody.

Local prosecutor Philippe Astruc told reporters the minor had admitted making the fake threats “as a game,” with no political or religious motivation.

The teenager used a foreign VPN to mask his IP address. The prosecutor said technical police work and international cooperation led them to the originating computer, and the family in Laval.

Two other minors have also been identified as suspects by investigators in Rennes.

France’s Justice Ministry says it has opened 192 investigations into false bomb threats so far. Officials say around 30 of them have already led to charges, most of them against minors or young adults. The Justice Ministry stressed that the majority of the threats made no mention of the situation in the Middle East or other international events.

In late 2023, as Israel ramped up its offensive against Hamas over the Palestinian militant group’s Oct. 7 terror attack, there were scores of bomb threats made against airports, museums and schools in France.

Dozens of flights had to be rescheduled as airports were evacuated. Tourists were left disappointed as famous sites, including Paris’ Louvre Museum and the Palace of Versailles, were forced to close. Thousands of schoolchildren were less upset at being sent home as classes were cancelled and schools searched.

At the time, French Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said many of the hoaxes were carried out by children who didn’t understand how serious their actions were. Nonetheless, a file was opened by police on each threat, and the minister vowed: “We will find these smart alecks.”

Dupond-Moretti also warned that parents of minors found making false bomb threats would be forced to reimburse any damages suffered by the institutions targeted.