Italy evacuates 300 schools amid bomb threats... Meloni calls for emergency security meeting

- Similar messages target schools in Scotland and Ireland... Police confirm no credible threats

At least 300 schools across Italy were evacuated on Wednesday following the receipt of anonymous emails containing bomb threats. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called for an emergency government security meeting to discuss developments and take necessary measures, amid a wave of similar threats targeting schools in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland.

Reuters reported that Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara confirmed that approximately 300 schools had received threatening messages, suggesting the number could rise. He noted that the warnings are believed to be false, and that targeting such a large number of schools reinforces doubts about their credibility.

Italian news agency ANSA reported that Meloni convened an emergency meeting at the government headquarters in Rome, attended by several ministers and intelligence and cybersecurity officials, to assess the situation and coordinate actions to counter the threats.

Meloni emphasized that there were no indications of a concrete danger, describing the threats as attempts to incite fear and anxiety. Security agencies continued their investigations to identify the source of the messages and those responsible.

One school in Rome informed parents that students had been evacuated to a safe location and were being kept under teacher supervision, while police began inspections and verified reports at affected educational institutions.

According to a copy of the message reviewed by Reuters, the email was signed by someone calling himself "Mikhail Andropov," who described himself as the leader of the "State of Misogynistan." This name was also used in previous bomb threats targeting media outlets in Ireland and Bulgaria, without confirmation of the sender’s true identity.

In Northern Ireland, police announced that more than 300 schools had received similar threatening emails. They confirmed that initial investigations revealed no actual danger and that messages originating from outside the United Kingdom are being treated as fake.

Assistant Chief Constable Anthony McKendry stated that security agencies are treating the incidents seriously and understand the anxiety they cause among students, parents, and school communities. He noted that investigations are ongoing and coordination with educational authorities continues.

In the Republic of Ireland, police confirmed that several schools had received general threatening messages, clarifying that they lacked credibility and did not warrant school evacuations. They warned of a recent increase in false bomb threats.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Police announced that messages received by schools in Scotland were classified as fake, after investigations showed no signs of a genuine threat or broader risk to the public.

They confirmed that the Cyber Crime and Fraud Unit continues its investigations to identify the source of the messages, in coordination with security agencies within and outside the UK, noting that there is no need to evacuate schools based solely on the content of these messages.