Schools 'explosive device' email not viable threat - education minister
Police in Northern Ireland and across the UK are investigating a series of hoax emails sent to hundreds of schools threatening the presence of an explosive device. Authorities have confirmed the threat is not viable and are working to reassure the public.
Why it matters
Hoax threats cause significant social disruption and strain public resources, highlighting the challenges of managing digital security in educational institutions.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Barry O'Connor BBC News NI PA Media Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said police consider the risk to the public as "low" An email threatening that "an explosive device" is located within hundreds of schools in Northern Ireland is being treated as a "hoax" by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said police take "incidents of this nature very seriously" however "at this stage we consider risk to the public as low".
Some schools have closed after receiving the email, however others have decided to stay open and are taking advice from the PSNI.
Police Scotland said they are investigating emails sent to schools and are also treating threats as a hoax.
One school in Lambeg emailed parents to say that they should "come immediately" and collect children adding: "Please don't panic the children are all safe."
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