Spanish police arrested two young men, one a minor and the other in his 20s, on suspicion of making a series of false bomb threats against airports in Málaga and Valencia.
The two allegedly used advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence to alter their voices, in an attempt to conceal their identities and make it more difficult for authorities to track them down.
The case was revealed on Friday in an official statement by Spain's Interior Ministry, following an investigation launched in September after the airports received telephone calls warning of explosive devices on their premises.
According to the Spanish newspaper El País, the two suspects met online and employed sophisticated methods to conceal their identities. Investigators discovered that they had used another person's personal information, without that person's knowledge, to register for an internet-based telephone service.
They subsequently used technology that allowed them to spoof the telephone number displayed to call recipients and employed artificial intelligence tools to alter their voices. The combination of these methods was intended to prevent their identification and conceal the source of the threats.
According to the investigation's findings, security personnel quickly determined that the first call to Málaga Airport was a false alarm.
However, another call received at Valencia Airport prompted the activation of emergency procedures, the deployment of police forces and specialized units, and temporary disruptions to airport operations.
Investigators also discovered that the suspects had attempted to use the threats to extort money. However, according to sources familiar with the investigation, no payments were made to them.
Last Wednesday, police raided the suspects' homes in the cities of Málaga and Murcia, arrested them, and confiscated computers, telephones, and electronic equipment that could serve as evidence in the investigation.
The two are being investigated on suspicion of making threats, extortion, and disturbing public order.
On Friday, judicial authorities ordered both suspects released from custody while the investigation into their activities continues.
Spanish police are now examining whether additional individuals were involved in the case and whether the suspects have connections to online groups engaged in harassment, threats, and intimidation.
Among other possibilities, investigators are examining whether the two were involved in swatting, a practice in which false emergency reports are made to trigger the deployment of police forces to a particular location or against a specific individual.
The investigation has also uncovered indications of additional acts of digital harassment, and investigators are examining digital wallets found on the confiscated devices.
Authorities are also continuing to investigate the possibility that other individuals were involved in the operation.