Hundreds of Schools in Italy Are Evacuated as More Bomb Threats Rattle Europe - The New York Times

Hundreds of Schools in Italy and UK Evacuated Amid Coordinated European Hoax Threats

Hundreds of schools across Italy and parts of the United Kingdom were evacuated on Wednesday following a wave of emailed bomb threats that authorities swiftly determined to be hoaxes. Officials reported that no explosives were found.

Italy’s education ministry stated that approximately 6,300 schools received the anonymous messages. Meanwhile, authorities in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland also addressed threatening emails sent to numerous educational facilities. While police in Scotland and Ireland assessed the threats as lacking credibility, the widespread messages caused significant disruption and anxiety.

The school evacuations follow a series of similar disruptions last week that targeted European flights and media outlets with bomb hoaxes. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni convened a meeting of ministers and cybersecurity officials, stating that the investigations revealed no concrete danger and that the campaign appeared aimed at causing alarm. Security experts noted that the diffuse targets bear the hallmarks of hybrid warfare tactics intended to create uncertainty and destabilize nations.

Investigations into the origin of the coordinated campaign remain ongoing by intelligence and police agencies across Europe.