Olympics-France investigates death threats sent to Israeli athletes

PARIS (Reuters) - French police have opened an investigation into death threats received by three Israeli athletes at the Paris Olympic Games, the Paris' prosecutors office said on Sunday.

Anti-cybercrime officers are also investigating the release of athletes' personal data on social networks on Friday and seeking to have it removed, prosecutors said in a statement.

In a statement on Thursday, Israel's National Cyber Directorate said that after an investigation it had come to the conclusion that Iranian hackers were creating social media channels to publish personal information about members of the Israeli delegation and send them threatening messages.

On the same day, Israel's foreign minister warned his French counterpart of a potential Iranian-backed plot to target Israeli athletes and tourists during the Paris Olympic Games.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations said in a statement on Thursday: "Terrorist acts have no place in the principles of resistance groups; lies and deceit cannot switch the roles of the plaintiff and the accused."

Israeli athletes at the Games are being escorted to and from events by elite tactical units and given 24-hour protection throughout the Olympics, officials say. Israel's internal security service, Shin Bet, is helping with security.

"Total support for the measures that are being taken by the French authorities," an Israeli diplomatic source said. "This sends an important message to individuals and organizations attempting to threaten athletes," the source added.

(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon and John Irish; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Hugh Lawson)

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