Police Scotland has confirmed that threatening emails sent to around 1,000 schools in Scotland are being treated as hoaxes and pose no credible threat or wider risk to the public.
A number of threatening messages were received by schools across the UK on Wednesday, with about 1,000 of them sent to schools in Scotland. Following an assessment, officers determined that the messages do not represent a credible threat.
Police Assessment and Advice
Police Scotland stated: "Our inquiries have established that there is nothing to suggest that they represent a credible threat or that there is any wider threat to the public."
The force acknowledged the distress such messages can cause, saying: "We understand how distressing messages of this nature can be for pupils, parents, carers and school staff, and the concern they can understandably cause."
Police said there is no requirement to evacuate schools or keep children away from education based on the emails. In an update on Wednesday evening, the force said: "They have been sent widely to distribution lists across the UK and Northern Ireland and our assessment remains that they do not represent a credible threat."
Ongoing Investigation
Police Scotland's Cyber and Fraud Unit is carrying out extensive inquiries to establish the source of the messages, and officers continue to liaise with law enforcement partners across the UK and internationally.
Several Scottish councils said they are working with police but that schools will not be evacuated. In Northern Ireland, the Department of Education advised schools to remain open "unless otherwise advised by the PSNI".
Emails were sent to more than 300 schools in Northern Ireland, and police said the email originated outside the country. Police in the Republic of Ireland said they were aware of a "generic communication" sent to a number of educational establishments.
The latest threat follows a hoax bomb threat sent to schools in Northern Ireland and Scotland last month.
