VDe Vector

Hundreds of Italian schools evacuated after bomb email

An email containing a bomb threat led to the evacuation of Italian schools on Wednesday.

Schools were evacuated in Italy on Wednesday after an email containing a bomb threat. Italian media report that the same message was sent to dozens or hundreds of school headteachers; the authorities are checking the buildings.

According to ANSA and Sky TG24, the alert reached around 280 school headteachers. Adnkronos separately reported that at least more than one hundred schools had been affected by the same email. Because of these different counts, the precise number of schools involved has not yet been established.

In Rome, schools in the Tuscolano district were among those evacuated. Reports of evacuations also came from other parts of Italy. According to those reports, pupils and staff were taken to safe locations while police and specialists checked the buildings.

The email was signed with the name Mikhail Andropov and contained threats against Italy. De Vector is not reproducing the content: there is no reason to spread unverified threatening language further. The signature in itself says nothing about the sender’s identity or motive.

The alerts follow earlier false bomb threats involving European flights and schools. ANSA previously wrote that Italian prosecutors were investigating whether various messages were connected. It has not yet been confirmed whether explosives were found in connection with the new school alerts.

For Dutch readers, the main point is that this concerns broad disruption to Italian education, not a confirmed attack. As long as checks and investigations continue, the scale, origin and purpose of the email remain uncertain. The Italian authorities must also prevent evacuations from becoming routine without playing down the threat.

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