More than 300 schools in Italy, at least 470 in Scotland, and over 300 in Northern Ireland received identical bomb threat emails on Wednesday. The coordinated wave forced widespread evacuations across the three nations, though authorities quickly confirmed the messages were bogus hoaxes. Police in all regions assessed the threats as non-credible, urging parents not to keep children away from education based solely on the content of the emails. This incident follows a similar pattern last month when at least 18 European flights were targeted, with at least 22 flights disrupted by threats signed "Fighters of the Male State."
Scottish and Irish Response
Police Scotland stated that inquiries established there is nothing to suggest the messages represent a credible threat or any wider danger to the public. A spokesperson noted that the emails were sent widely to distribution lists across the UK and Northern Ireland, and their assessment remains that they do not pose a real risk. In Edinburgh, Queensferry High School was evacuated and pupils were sent home, while Highland Council confirmed some of its schools made the decision to activate emergency protocols. Glasgow council advised parents by email that claims of devices planted in schools were false, citing police confirmation that this is a hoax. Schools were instructed to readmit any pupils who had been evacuated and resume classes immediately after the initial precautionary measures.
The response in Northern Ireland mirrored the Scottish approach, with the Education Authority advising schools to remain open unless otherwise advised by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Assistant Chief Constable Anthony McNally said the PSNI considers the risk to the public low, although inquiries into the source are ongoing. He acknowledged the distress such messages cause for school communities but emphasized that the situation is under control. In the Republic of Ireland, Garda Siochana confirmed it had assessed the threat as "not credible" and did not call for any evacuations. Irish Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton reiterated that there is no need for schools to evacuate, aligning with the broader consensus that these are generic communications rather than specific attacks.
Italian Context and Political Reaction
Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara clarified that the concrete risk is virtually nonexistent, describing the incident as most likely a cyberattack rather than a real threat. He told the ANSA news agency that identifying the perpetrators is difficult, but the judiciary will carry out investigations. Valditara added that investments in security are essential to prevent future disruptions. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on Facebook that the country is doing everything necessary to ensure citizen safety, noting that current investigations show no element making a concrete danger seem persistent. She called a meeting of top ministers and intelligence chiefs to address the issue directly.
This latest wave of threats comes less than a month after a previous alert that generated more than 300 calls to police in Scotland alone. Officials described the current emails as similar to those sent last month, which were treated as hoaxes by the PSNI. The consistent nature of the messages suggests an organized effort to disrupt educational institutions across multiple countries simultaneously. While the immediate danger has been ruled out, the repeated use of such tactics highlights the vulnerability of school communication systems to mass phishing attempts. Authorities continue to liaise with security bodies overseas to track the origin of the emails, aiming to identify the individuals responsible for this cross-border disruption.
