Airline bomb hoax: Govt blasts X over threats to flights for ‘abetting the crime’

Bomb threats: The central government has pulled up social media giant X for its handling of the hoax bomb threats to domestic and international flights situation. The government said that X’s handling of the situation is akin to ‘abetting the crime’. 

According to India Today sources, the Centre came down heavily during a virtual meeting called by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology with officials of airlines, and social media giants X and Meta. 

After Delhi Police failed to get the required details of the user’s ID or domain of a few accounts that were found to be involved in posting threat messages to the flights, the Centre pulled up the social media giant. 

Meanwhile, the police have filed eight FIRs in connection with the bomb threats to over 90 domestic and international flights in the past eight days. According to a senior police official, the threat messages were sent by anonymous accounts, which were later suspended by the authorities. According to the official, three accounts on X - @adamlanza111, @psychotichuman and @schizobomer777 have been found to be involved in posting threat messages to fights.

Akasa, Air India, IndiGo, and Vistara flights had received bomb threats, impacting some of their operations. 

The first case was registered on October 16 after a bomb threat targeting a Bengaluru-bound Akasa Air flight was received via X, forcing the aircraft with over 180 passengers to return to Delhi. The police sought details from X about the accounts but could not obtain user IDs or domains, suspecting the use of VPNs or dark web browsers.

Delhi Police's cyber cell teams are monitoring X and other platforms for ongoing threats. "We do not take any threat lightly and follow all security protocols," an officer said. Over 170 flights by Indian carriers have received bomb threats in just over a week.

The government is considering legislative actions, including placing perpetrators on a no-fly list. Proposed amendments to The Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982, aim to allow arrests and investigations without a court order for offences when an aircraft is on the ground. Changes to aircraft security rules are also planned to ensure stringent punishment for bomb threat perpetrators.