Bomb threats at hundreds of schools in Italy, Scotland, Ireland, and Northern Ireland have set off alarms among authorities and led to mass evacuations of school buildings, with thousands of students being removed from classrooms.
According to the Financial Times, the threats were made via emails sent to schools in the four countries, and authorities are investigating whether this was a coordinated effort aimed at causing disruption in Europe.
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Alarm at more than 300 schools in Italy
In Italy, more than 300 schools received emails claiming that explosive devices had been planted, resulting in dozens of evacuations.
The threats were sent to schools in many cities, including Rome, Milan, Naples, Venice, Trieste, Padua, Bergamo, and Modena, as well as in areas of Tuscany.
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In the Lazio region alone, more than 50 schools were evacuated, according to the student organization Rete degli Studenti Medi.
“We have come to exterminate you. We will carry out a genocide against the Italians,” reads the threatening email, which, according to reports, was sent from abroad and signed by “Mikhail Andropov, leader of Vilayat Misoginistan.”
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The same message also refers to a bomb planted in the car of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Bomb squads are conducting searches of school buildings, while, according to the Italian news agency ANSA, dozens of school complexes have been evacuated.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called an emergency meeting for 4:00 p.m. (Italian time) at the Palazzo Chigi government headquarters to assess the situation and coordinate the necessary actions. The meeting will be attended by Deputy Prime Ministers Matteo Salvini and Antonio Tajani, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, as well as the heads of the intelligence and cybersecurity agencies.
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Crosetto spoke of a “strategy of spreading terror,” clarifying, however, that pranksters—not necessarily foreign countries or hostile organizations—may be behind some of the threats.
“No panic”
In a social media post, the Italian prime minister stated that the government is closely monitoring the numerous reports of bomb threats at schools, while the police and relevant government authorities have been mobilized to investigate the matter.
“The government is monitoring with great attention the numerous reports regarding bomb threats at schools. The police and relevant agencies, at all levels, have been mobilized to monitor the situation and reassure citizens, families, and school staff,” Meloni stated.
She added, “At this time, based on the checks that have been carried out, there is no evidence to suggest that there is a specific threat.” The prime minister also noted that the reports may be linked to a strategy aimed at causing concern and unrest, clarifying that all necessary investigations are underway.
From Brussels, where he is currently located, Italian Minister of Education Giuseppe Valditara announced that so far 312 schools have been affected by bomb threats. “I want to send a reassuring message, because at this moment there is no danger. There is no reason for panic or any other concern, as such a reaction would be completely unjustified,” he stated.
Meanwhile, investigations by Italian authorities are continuing, both to trace the origin of the emails and to identify the individuals behind the threats. According to Reuters, similar threatening messages bearing the same signature had been sent in recent days to media outlets in Ireland and Bulgaria.
Threats Also Sent to Schools in Scotland and Ireland
Meanwhile, according to the Financial Times, similar threatening messages were received by schools in Scotland, Ireland, and Northern Ireland, where precautionary evacuations were also carried out.
British authorities are treating the threats as possible hoaxes. Police in Scotland announced that the messages were sent in bulk to recipients throughout the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, noting that, based on their assessment so far, they are not considered credible threats.
For its part, the Police Service of Northern Ireland confirmed that it had received reports of an alarming email that had been sent to several schools.
In Italy, a similar incident had occurred in recent days, when a threatening email was sent to approximately 280 school principals. At the same time, authorities are investigating a possible connection to the November 5 threats targeting two flights bound for Rome’s Fiumicino Airport.
In Northern Ireland, the Department of Education reported that “yet another threatening email” had been sent to “a large number of schools,” but recommended that schools remain open.
The threats are the latest example of a growing wave of coordinated actions apparently aimed at sowing chaos across Europe.
Last week, bomb threats were sent to airlines across the continent, forcing some planes to make emergency landings and others to change course. European security agencies are trying to determine whether these threats may have originated in Russia.
Source: Proto Thema
