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Police investigating threatening 'hoax' emails sent to schools from outside the UK
Police said the messages were treated as a hoax while officers investigated reports that dozens of schools evacuated or closed.
- On Monday, October 19, 2026, up to 300 schools in Northern Ireland and others across Scotland received identical bomb threat emails, prompting police to launch urgent enquiries into what authorities are treating as a widespread hoax.
- The emailed messages claimed an 'explosive device' containing ammonium nitrate was inside buildings and referenced Sharia law, signed 'Allahu Akbar,' according to Northern Ireland Education Minister Paul Givan.
- While some institutions closed and evacuated students as a precaution, others remained open following police advice to continue operations in Edinburgh, Fife, and South Lanarkshire.
- Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson stated investigations indicate the emails originated from outside the UK; authorities assess risk to the public as low.
- Similar threatening messages were reported last week in the Republic of Ireland, with comparable incidents also occurring in Hungary and Serbia, suggesting a coordinated cross-border campaign.
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121 Articles
121 Articles
Hundreds of schools in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Hungary and Serbia received threatening messages today The post Alarm in Europe over barrage of false bomb threats to hundreds of schools appeared first on in.gr.
·Greece
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300 schools in Northern Ireland received an email containing a threat.
·Montreal, Canada
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E-mail threats have targeted many schools in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Hungary and Serbia, resulting in evacuations.
·France
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Total News Sources121
Leaning Left15Leaning Right13Center27Last UpdatedBias Distribution49% Center
Bias Distribution
- 49% of the sources are Center
49% Center
L 27%
C 49%
R 24%
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