Schools across Italy were evacuated on Wednesday after around 6,300 received bomb threats, the latest in a series of threats and cyberattacks across Europe against supermarkets, blood banks, air traffic and broadcasters.
Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland said many of their schools had received a similar email threat from abroad, but it was considered a hoax and had not disrupted lessons.
In Italy, schools closed quickly after the warnings, prompting many parents to abandon what they were doing to get their children back.
“My daughter Dafne started crying because the children didn’t understand what was happening, and she was still shaken when I came to pick her up,” said Nensi Bego, parent of a child at Mazzini Middle School in Rome.
“This is so annoying. It’s obvious this is just a prank that’s disrupting classes and disrupting everyone’s day.”
A copy of the message seen by Reuters also contained a threat aimed at Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. She said the bomb threats posed no danger and that police and other public agencies were monitoring the situation.
“All students have been taken to a safe area and remain under the supervision of teaching staff,” parents at a school in Rome informed via a messaging app.
The email received in Italy was signed “Mikhail Andropov, Head of Misoginistan Vilayat,” according to a copy of the message seen by Reuters.
“(The school’s) emails are public. (Sending bomb threat messages) was as easy as drinking a glass of water,” a national security source told Reuters.
The same alleged perpetrator claimed responsibility for bomb threats sent to newsrooms in Ireland and Bulgaria on Friday.
Russia and Iran deny accusations
Some European officials suspect Russia of being behind a campaign to disrupt daily life in European countries supporting Ukraine after Moscow’s invasion.
Russia denies this and accuses the West of waging a smear campaign.
Iran is another suspect. France summoned Iran’s ambassador on Tuesday after accusing Tehran of a cyberattack that disabled refrigerators in hundreds of supermarkets last week.
Iran has rejected the accusations, calling them “baseless and hostile.”
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Wednesday’s threats were part of a clear strategy “aimed at sowing fear and creating anxiety,” according to the Adnkronos news agency.
“It is not always the work of foreign countries or hostile entities. There are also attention seekers and crazies who, in a moment like this, are eager to spread terror in a city or region,” he added.
Antonello Giannelli, president of the Italian Association of School Directors, said the alerts were upsetting for students, families and school staff.
“Even though today’s threats are clearly hoaxes, we cannot underestimate the consequences of incidents that alarm entire school communities and disrupt the normal flow of educational activities,” he said.
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