A newsroom was evacuated in France on Thursday after a bomb threat. A caller this morning threatened to detonate an explosive device at the Saint-Max town hall if a regional newspaper failed to publish his demands on their website.

The individual also claimed that, if his conditions were not met, they would trigger a second explosive device allegedly planted inside the L’Est Républicain, Le Républicain Lorrain and Vosges Matin headquarters at the same time. Police officers raced to the scene and a security perimeter was put in place. All newspaper staff were evacuated by 10.30 am, 40 minutes after the call was received.

A sniffer dog was also sent to the scene, after two hours of searches no suspicous devices have been found. Staff have now been allowed to return to their offices.

A judicial investigation will be opened.

Just two days ago the newsroom headquarters again received an anonymous phone call from an individual threatening to set off an explosive device at the Saint-Max Town Hall.

The caller demanded a €10,000 ransom, warning that an incendiary device allegedly placed inside the town hall would be set off if they did not receive the payment.

*** Ensure our latest news headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings. ***

Employees were evacuated and a security perimeter was also established. Bomb disposal experts searched the area for an hour after which workers were able to return to their offices and the security perimeter was lifted.

The media’s headquarters are based in Houdemont, a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.