False bomb threats, which have multiplied in recent days, have given rise to the opening of twenty-two investigations, announced Friday October 20 the Minister of Justice, Eric Dupond-Moretti, referring to “kids” who have “no sense of responsibility.” “There are already twenty-two investigations underway, there were arrests a few hours ago and there will obviously be convictions, we cannot let this happen,” warned the Keeper of the Seals on RTL. “It disrupts air traffic (…) it creates a psychosis (…),” he added.
At least eleven French airports carried out evacuations on Thursday, sometimes brief, after bomb threats, causing a second consecutive day of disruptions in flight operations, which led to eighteen arrests in forty-eight hours, according to the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin. At the same time, bomb threats also affected educational establishments. These alerts have been increasing for several days in France, particularly since the jihadist attack which cost the life of teacher Dominique Bernard in Arras.
Among these authors of false bomb threats, “there are kids, little jokers who have no sense of responsibility. The parents must be there, and I remind you that it is the parents who will pay the financial consequences, and they are extremely important,” continued Eric Dupond-Moretti.
“Psychological violence”
As our colleagues at Libération remind us, according to article 322-14 of the penal code, “communicating” or “disclosing” a false bomb threat “is punishable by two years of imprisonment and 30,000 euros of fine.” fine” (the same applies when false information causes unnecessary emergency intervention).
The penalty is increased to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of 45,000 euros when the person directly threatens “destruction, damage or deterioration dangerous to people”, according to article 322-13 of the penal code.
“This type of facts are usually qualified by the penal code as “disclosure of false information”. But, and this is something new, we will now consider them as “premeditated psychological violence against people,” said Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau in an interview with the newspaper Le Parisien. “We will apply an uncompromising criminal policy. Adults will be systematically referred quickly and prosecuted, before being judged. And the minors will be presented before a juvenile judge,” she specifies.
