From BBC News · · 1m 40s
Bomb threats hit schools across Italy, Scotland and Northern Ireland
More than seven thousand schools across three countries received threatening emails on Wednesday in what authorities say is a coordinated hoax.
In brief
More than seven thousand schools across three countries received threatening emails on Wednesday in what authorities say is a coordinated hoax. Over six thousand Italian schools and more than seven hundred in Scotland and Northern Ireland received bomb threats on Wednesday; authorities say the emails are a hoax with…
Thousands of schools receive threats
Some 6,300 schools across Italy and more than 700 in Scotland and Northern Ireland received bomb threats on Wednesday, according to local authorities.
Italian PM says no concrete danger
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said checks had not indicated any evidence of concrete danger. She said the reports appeared linked to a strategy intended to cause alarm and concern.
“These reports appear rather linked to a strategy intended to cause alarm and concern”
Scotland and Northern Ireland respond
Scotland's education secretary Mairi McAllan said there was no risk to the public and specialist cyber-crime officers were working to identify the source. Northern Ireland told schools to remain open unless advised otherwise by police.
Single email sent to Italian schools
Italian officials said a single email appeared to have been sent on Wednesday to the inboxes of 6,300 out of a total of 7,476 state schools.
Headteachers quickly identified the hoax
One Milan headteacher found the email address was already classified as spam by a student at a university in Taiwan. Another said the text seemed almost comical, like a message from Martians.
“it was like a message from Martians: 'We have come to annihilate you.' I even had a bit of a laugh.”
Schools evacuated then quickly reopened
Although many schools were initially evacuated on Wednesday, the alarm was quickly lifted and pupils were allowed to return to class.Some parents took children home but most schools in Milan did not send pupils home.
The essence
Over six thousand Italian schools and more than seven hundred in Scotland and Northern Ireland received bomb threats on Wednesday; authorities say the emails are a hoax with no genuine danger.
