Hoax bomb threats hit 1,000 Scottish schools: Police urge calm
Police Scotland and ministers have reassured parents there is no credible public risk after more than 1,000 schools received hoax bomb threat emails.
More than 1,000 primary and secondary schools across Scotland were targeted with hoax bomb threat emails on Wednesday, triggering widespread concern. However, Scottish Education Secretary Mairi McAllan moved quickly to reassure parliament and parents that the situation was firmly in hand and posed no risk to public safety.
Police Scotland confirmed that specialist officers assessed the messages within an hour and concluded there was no credible danger. Urging parents not to keep children at home, Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland told the BBC that he would confidently send his own daughter to school the following day.
Cyber-crime investigators are liaising with national and international partners to trace the perpetrators. Similar bogus warning emails were sent to roughly 300 schools across Northern Ireland as well as educational institutions in Italy, pointing to a coordinated cross-border nuisance campaign.
Source: BBC News Photo: Dave Meier / StockSnap (CC0)