Friday 6 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 33051Bomb threat · Co. Dublin · 6 Nov 2026

Under investigation: bomb threat at RTÉ and Dublin media offices

On Friday 6 November 2026, an email bomb threat was sent to RTÉ and scores of media organisations in Ireland and the UK, claiming an operative had planted an explosive device and giving staff 45 minutes to evacuate. RTÉ studios in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, and offices of Newstalk, Mediahuis, Virgin Media and Sky News were cleared, with gardaí searching the RTÉ campus with sniffer dogs. The email was signed by a person calling himself Mikhail Andropov, who described himself as one of the leaders of the group behind recent airline bomb threats across Europe. The threats arrived ahead of two major European political summits in Dublin during Ireland's EU Council presidency. An Garda Síochána, working with the Defence Forces and cyber and aviation authorities, are investigating whether the threats represent a coordinated campaign.

  1. Reported6 Nov
    5 reports
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • An email bomb threat was sent to RTÉ and scores of media organisations in Ireland and the UK, claiming an operative had planted an explosive device and giving staff 45 minutes to evacuate.
  • The email was signed by a person calling himself Mikhail Andropov, described as one of the leaders of the group responsible for recent airline bomb threats across Europe.
  • The email threatened to blow up airplanes, cruise ships, subway stations, and trains, and claimed the group was preparing a new wave of attacks.
Where
The incident occurred at RTÉ studios in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, with evacuations also at Mediahuis on Talbot Street, Newstalk at Marconi House, and other media offices.
When
The threat was received by email on Friday morning, 6 November 2026, ahead of two major European political summits in Dublin during Ireland's EU Council presidency.
Investigation
  • An Garda Síochána, working in cooperation with the Defence Forces and cyber and aviation authorities, are investigating the incident.
  • Gardaí searched the RTÉ Montrose campus with sniffer dogs.
Other details
  • The incidents followed hoax bomb threats targeting 21 flights across Europe on Thursday, affecting Irish operators Ryanair and Aer Lingus.
  • The Government stated the threats seem likely to be a coordinated campaign of disruption.
  • The email was also sent to UK outlets including walesonline.co.uk and the Sunday Mirror.
47 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatStaff were evacuated from the RTÉ building following a bomb threat. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatScores of other media outlets across Ireland and Britain also received the threat. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatRTÉ moved to pre-recorded programmes as a precautionary measure. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe email claimed an operative had planted an explosive device inside the building. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatStaff were given 45 minutes to evacuate before the device would detonate. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatMedia organisations in Ireland and the UK, including Virgin Media, Newstalk and Independent House, received the threats. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe incidents followed bomb threats sent to airlines across Europe in recent days, including one targeting flights from Dublin. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatThe email was signed by a person calling himself Mikhail Andropov, described as one of the leaders of the group responsible for the bomb threats against airplanes in Europe. (irishmirror.ie)
  • whatThe email threatened to blow up airplanes, cruise ships, subway stations, and trains. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whatStaff at RTÉ, Newstalk and Mediahuis received the same email threat that did not specify a named target. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatThe email was addressed to a number of news outlets in the UK, including walesonline.co.uk and the Sunday Mirror, along with the Irish organisations. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatSky News confirmed it had also been targeted with the threatening email. (irishtimes.com)
  • whatEvacuation orders were issued for personnel at the Irish Independent (gript.ie)
  • whatEvacuation orders were issued for the Dublin headquarters of TodayFM and NewstalkFM (gript.ie)
  • whatSky News was targeted by a security alert (gript.ie)
  • whatAt RTÉ, gardaí searched the premises in Donnybrook with sniffer dogs (gript.ie)
  • whatAn RTÉ radio host announced the station was sent an email threatening an explosion within 45 minutes (gript.ie)
  • whatThe email claimed an operative had planted an explosive device inside RTÉ's building (dublinlive.ie)
  • whatStaff had 45 minutes to evacuate before detonation (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereThe incident occurred at RTÉ studios in Donnybrook, Dublin 4. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereMediahuis evacuated its offices on Talbot Street in Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereNewstalk, located at Marconi House, was also cleared. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereMedia organisations in Ireland and the UK, including Virgin Media, Newstalk and Independent House, received threats that resulted in buildings being cleared out (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe threat was received by email on Friday morning. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe threats arrived ahead of a week when Ireland will host two major European political summits as part of its six-month presidency of the EU Council. (irishmirror.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe EPC summit starts in Dublin on Thursday, November 12th. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationGardai are investigating the incident. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationA Garda presence was on the RTÉ campus on Friday morning. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe threats are the subject of an active investigation by An Garda Síochána. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationSniffer dogs were on the Montrose campus as gardaí continued to search. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationThe Gardaí, working in co-operation with the Defence Forces and cyber and aviation authorities, are working to establish who is responsible. (irishtimes.com)
  • investigationInvestigators had not yet established whether the threats originated from individuals or represented a coordinated attack (gript.ie)
  • otherA heavy garda presence was at the scene. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe incidents followed bomb threats to airlines across Europe on Thursday. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe Government stated it seems likely the threats are a co-ordinated campaign of disruption. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherFianna Fáil MEP Barry Andrews said the threats were similar to what occurred in Denmark before the EPC summit. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherO'Callaghan commended Gardaí for their swift response (gript.ie)
  • otherO'Callaghan chaired the annual EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum in Montenegro that week (gript.ie)
  • otherHarris noted recent scares had targeted airlines (gript.ie)
  • otherHoax bomb threats targeted 21 flights across Europe on Thursday (gript.ie)
  • otherThe airline alerts affected Irish operators Ryanair and Aer Lingus (gript.ie)
  • otherAround 160 schools in Northern Ireland were targeted by hoax bomb threats the previous month (gript.ie)
  • otherThe email was signed by a self-identified 'Mikhail Andropov' who described himself as one of the leaders of the group responsible for the bomb threats against airplanes in Europe (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe email alleged that what happened this week is just a small part of what awaits Europe (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe email stated the group is preparing a new wave of attacks (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe email claimed the group is recruiting residents of European countries who are actively cooperating with them (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe email claimed the group has gained access to compromised devices, servers, and accounts belonging to residents of Europe (dublinlive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 6 Nov2026
    Reporteddublinlive.ie, follow-up
    'The clock is ticking': Sinister email sent to RTE in full

    Provides the full text of the bomb threat email, including the sender's self-identified name 'Mikhail Andropov,' claims of connection to recent airline bomb threats across Europe, and the threat of a 'new wave of attacks' ahead of Ireland hosting two major European political summits.

    suspect, Mikhail Andropov, namedMikhail Andropov
  2. 6 Nov2026
    Reportedgript.ie, its first report
    O'Callaghan links media bomb scares to European hybrid attacks - Gript

    Adds the Justice Minister's formal response, his call for EU-level coordination, and details on which specific media organisations were evacuated (Irish Independent, TodayFM, NewstalkFM, Sky News, RTÉ). Also records comments from Taoiseach Martin and Tánaiste Harris, and notes the threats followed 21 airline bomb scares across Europe the previous day.

  3. 6 Nov2026
    Reportedirishtimes.com, its first report
    Bomb threats at RTÉ, Irish Independent and Newstalk linked to pattern of ‘hybrid attacks’

    Adds details on the evacuations at Mediahuis and Newstalk, the Minister for Justice's framing of the threats as 'hybrid attacks,' the connection to the EPC summit in Dublin on 12 November, the email also being sent to UK outlets (walesonline.co.uk, Sunday Mirror), sniffer dogs searching the RTÉ Montrose campus, and the Government statement describing the threats as a 'co-ordinated campaign of disruption.'

  4. 6 Nov2026
    Reportedirishmirror.ie, its first report
    'The clock is ticking': Sinister email sent to RTÉ in full

    Provides the full text of the bomb threat email, identifying the sender as 'Mikhail Andropov' and linking the threat to recent airline bomb threats across Europe. Also notes the threats arrived ahead of two major European political summits hosted by Ireland during its EU Council presidency.

  5. 6 Nov2026
    Reporteddublinlive.ie, first report
    RTÉ staff evacuated after bomb threat- live updates

    Live blog covering the evacuation of RTÉ studios and other media offices following a bomb threat received by email; scores of other media outlets across Ireland and Britain were also warned.

Changed after publication

facts outlets added, removed or corrected

irishtimes.com, 6 Nov 2026, 14:35: Bomb threats at RTÉ, Irish Independent and Newstalk linked to pattern of ‘hybrid attacks’

  • AddedSky News confirmed it was also targeted with the threatening email

dublinlive.ie, 6 Nov 2026, 12:34: RTÉ staff evacuated after bomb threat- live updates

  • RemovedSinéad Gibney, Social Democrats TD for Dublin Rathdown, condemned threats to media and referenced evacuations at RTÉ, Newstalk and the Irish Independent

dublinlive.ie, 6 Nov 2026, 11:33: RTÉ staff evacuated after bomb threat- live updates

  • RemovedNewstalk and Mediahuis staff were evacuated from their offices at Talbot Street and Marconi House in Dublin
  • AddedSinéad Gibney, Social Democrats TD for Dublin Rathdown, condemned the threats to media