Group threatens to bomb French railways

France’s Interior Ministry has received threatening letters demanding millions of euro or warning that French rail tracks will be bombed, authorities said today.

One letter led authorities to an explosive device that was found under tracks in central France, police sources said.

The threats were claimed by a group unknown to French authorities that identified itself as AZF, the Interior Ministry said in a statement in Paris.

The group’s name is an apparent reference to the AZF chemical factory in southwestern France that exploded in 2001, killing 30 people. Investigators believe that explosion was accidental.

It was not immediately clear whether the threats were related to terrorism or attempted blackmail.

However, internationally renowned anti-terror judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere took over the investigation, LCI television reported.

Police sources said the group threatened to act unless it received €3m within the next few days.

The Interior Ministry confirmed in a statement it had received several letters from the group and had opened an investigation into the case.

The statement said the ministry was trying to contact the group and urged the media “to be discreet and not disturb these contacts”.