A teenage boy has been arrested in connection with a bomb threat at North Sydney Boys High School, which forced the evacuation of students during HSC exams. The arrest came after a series of hoax threats targeted more than 20 schools across New South Wales last week.
Police executed a search warrant at a home in Sydney's south on Wednesday morning, seizing a computer and mobile phone. The teenager was taken to Kogarah Police Station and is expected to be charged over the incident at North Sydney Boys High School on October 29.
The threat at North Sydney was deemed inconsistent with earlier emails that had prompted mass evacuations. Those earlier threats, received on October 27 and 28, affected schools in Sydney and regional NSW, disrupting HSC biology and modern history exams.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian confirmed that the initial bomb hoax emails originated from eastern Europe. Police are working with the Australian Federal Police to investigate the source.
Education department secretary Mark Scott condemned the disruptions, calling them a deliberate attempt to cause frustration. Police Minister David Elliott described the threats as 'demented', particularly given the stress of the pandemic.
No explosive devices were found at any of the schools. Investigations into the earlier threats continue, with police stating they are not linked to the North Sydney incident.
