French police have launched an investigation into death threats received by three Israeli athletes at the Paris Olympics, Paris prosecutors said on Sunday.
Cybercrime officers are also investigating the posting of athletes’ personal data on social media on Friday and are seeking to have it removed, prosecutors said in a statement, according to Reuters and News.ro.
In a statement released Thursday, Israel’s National Cyber Security Authority said that after an investigation, it concluded that Iranian hackers had created social media channels to publish personal information about members of the Israeli delegation and send them threats.
On the same day, Israel’s foreign minister warned his French counterpart of a possible Iran-backed plot to attack Israeli athletes and tourists during the Paris Olympics.
Israeli athletes attending the Olympics will be escorted by elite tactical units and provided with 24-hour security throughout the Olympics, officials said. Israel’s internal security service Shin Bet helps maintain security.
“We fully support the measures taken by the French authorities,” an Israeli diplomatic source said. “This sends an important signal to people and organizations trying to threaten athletes,” the source added.
