Toxic gas threat at French airport

Hundreds of security agents and rescuers carried out a readiness exercise today at France’s Nice airport after authorities received a letter threatening a toxic gas attack.

The letter, signed by a mysterious group decrying globalisation, claimed an attack with Zyklon B gas – used in some World War II Nazi death camps – would be launched between 9am and noon if air traffic was not shut down.

Planes continued to take off and land as rescue teams with portable medical units trained for a poison gas attack. Police meticulously checked passengers’ luggage at the two terminals of the Nice-Cote d’Azur airport. Some 350 people took part in the exercise, officials said.

The letter, written in German and signed by a group calling itself the “EBG,” or European Globalisation Liberation Front, claimed that Zyklon B in a travel bag would be released via a long-distance trigger if air traffic wasn’t halted this morning.

The prefect of the Alpes-Maritimes region said the threat was “unlikely” but could not be dismissed.

“It isn’t a hoax,” said Philippe Breuil, the highest official in the region. “We are faced with serious threats by people who know the product they’re talking about.”

Security officials gave the threat a “2” rating on a scale of 1 to 5.