Hoax bomb threats sent to 500 schools across Scotland have now spread to schools in Italy and Ireland, with authorities treating the emails as hoaxes and investigations under way in all three countries.
Police Scotland said the messages, sent Wednesday morning, were assessed and officers confirmed they are being treated as hoaxes. In Italy, authorities said 300 schools were evacuated after receiving an emailed bomb threat.
Italian schools evacuated
Italian premier Giorgia Meloni said in a statement that there was no indication of any “concrete danger” to schools and said the threats appeared aimed at “generating alarm and concern”. She said investigations were under way, and that she had convened a meeting of ministers for later in the day.
The anonymous email also contained a threat against Ms Meloni, according to copies obtained by Italian media including the news agency LaPresse. Foreign minister Antonio Tajani revealed on Saturday that his personal data had been leaked to the dark web, an encrypted part of the internet.
Students react in Rome
At Rome’s Mamiani high school, students poured into the streets thinking the alarm was the break bell and only learned there was a bomb threat after they were outside. “They are saying it was a bomb alert because an email arrived from Russian hackers in which they said they would have killed everyone. It was pretty violent,” said 18-year-old student Anita Bartocci.
Ms Meloni blamed pro-Russian hackers. The disruption is the latest affecting European institutions following hoax bomb threats against airlines and broadcasters in recent weeks.
Northern Ireland schools affected
Almost 300 schools in Ireland also received a threat. Police said the email originated from outside Northern Ireland and is being treated as a hoax.
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Assistant Chief Constable Anthony McNally said: “We take incidents of this nature very seriously and we understand the concern in the community, school communities and for students and parents. Our enquiries are ongoing, however, at this stage we consider the risk to the public as low.”
McNally added: “We will continue to liaise with schools impacted and have been working closely with the Department of Education and the Education Authority this morning to provide reassurance.”
The Education Authority (EA) said in a statement: “We are aware that another threatening email message has today been sent to a large number of schools in NI. The message has similarities with a bogus threat sent last month, which was declared a hoax by PSNI.”
The EA added: “EA is liaising with police on this latest message. At this stage, we have not been made aware of any evidence of any credible threat to schools. Investigations are continuing. It is for PSNI to determine the credibility or otherwise of any such message. As always, schools are advised to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity to PSNI.”
The statement concluded: “We fully appreciate that any message of this nature is distressing and can assure schools, parents/carers and children and young people that we will provide a further update following engagement with police.”
