The Paris Prosecuror’s office said, ‘France has opened a probe into death threats against three Israeli athletes after threatening emails were sent to the Olympic delegation’.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin reported the incident and his office said the investigation will be led by the national anti-online hate body. According to the media sources, no link with Iran or another foreign country has yet been established.
There is also no link between this incident and the illegal leak of Israeli athletes’ private data on social media on Friday. On Thursday Israel warned France of potential threats from Iran-backed groups against Israeli athletes and tourists during the Paris Games. French police are giving Israeli athletes round-the-clock personal security within the Athletes’ Village and during travel to Olympic sites.
France has mounted a vast security operation for the Olympics that started on Friday and runs until August 11, with around 18,000 troops deployed in addition to regular police. The Israeli athletes have also been provided with Shin Bet security as this is not the first time they have faced threats ahead of the first Olympic Games being held during Israeli wartime.
Last week, Hebrew media reported that many members of the Israeli delegation had received threatening emails and phone calls inviting them to their own funerals and telling them not to attend the Olympics because if they did, there would be another Munich 1972.
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