Police in Scotland are investigating hoax bomb threats sent to a number of schools, with the messages signed off 'Allahu Akbar'. The development follows confirmation that more than 160 schools in Northern Ireland received similar threats, which are not being treated as viable.
Hundreds of calls to Police Scotland
Police Scotland said it received more than 300 calls from concerned families after threatening messages were sent to schools across the country. A spokesperson said: "Police Scotland received more than 300 calls after threatening messages were sent to a number of schools across Scotland."
Officers and staff from Police Scotland's cyber and fraud unit are carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the source of the messages, which are being treated as a hoax. The force advised that for information about specific schools, people should contact the relevant local authority.
Evacuations in Glasgow and council response
It is understood some schools around Glasgow were evacuated on Monday morning, but have since reopened. In a letter to parents and guardians, Glasgow City Council confirmed it is continuing to work with police to look into the matter, and that children's safety remains its top priority.
A council spokesperson added: "Police are treating the messages as a hoax, and we will help officers as part of their investigation. Our education director has issued a comms to our families to reassure them of the actions that were followed as the safety of our pupils and staff remain our top priority."
Northern Ireland schools targeted
Stormont's education minister, Paul Givan, confirmed that 160 schools in Northern Ireland had received the communications. He told reporters: "This morning, 160 schools received a threat reporting – it would appear to me from Islamists threatening that Sharia law will be brought into our country and that there is viable devices within those school settings and it was signed off, 'Allahu Akbar'."
He added: "That has been escalated to the PSNI and the Education Authority are having emergency meetings with the police this morning. At this stage, the advice to schools is that we're not treating this as a viable threat but it has clearly caused huge alarm."
The Scottish Government said it was informed about the hoax threats. A spokesperson said: "We are aware threatening messages have been sent to a number of schools across Scotland and elsewhere in the UK. Police Scotland is investigating and treating (them) as a hoax."
