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Police investigating threatening 'hoax' emails sent to schools from outside the UK
Police say the emails were sent to up to 300 schools and are treating the messages as a hoax while urgent enquiries continue.
- On Monday, October 19, 2026, up to 300 schools across Northern Ireland and Scotland received threatening emails claiming explosive devices were on-site; police are investigating the coordinated messages as a hoax originating from outside the UK.
- Northern Ireland Education Minister Paul Givan described the threats as 'Islamist,' citing references to Sharia law and the phrase 'Allahu Akbar,' though authorities confirmed the messages are not being treated as a viable threat.
- While some schools evacuated pupils as a precaution, others remained open after consulting police; the Education Authority advised schools to 'remain vigilant' unless a specific object was identified on premises.
- PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said police 'understand the concern in the community' amid widespread disruption, noting that enquiries are ongoing and the risk to the public remains low.
- Concurrent incidents in Serbia and Hungary targeted more than 100 and over 70 schools respectively with similar hoax threats, highlighting a recurring pattern of coordinated digital harassment across European educational systems.
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88 Articles
88 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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Coverage Details
Total News Sources88
Leaning Left12Leaning Right8Center27Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Center
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
57% Center
L 26%
C 57%
R 17%
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