Bomb Threats Trigger School Evacuations in Italy and Northern Ireland

At least 300 schools across Italy were evacuated on Wednesday after receiving bomb threat messages, according to the government. Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said authorities initially believed the alerts were hoaxes, adding that the number of affected schools could increase. Schools in Rome moved students and staff to designated safe areas while police inspected the premises. Meanwhile, several schools in Northern Ireland also received threatening emails but were advised to remain open after education authorities said police did not consider the threat credible.

The threats are the latest in a series of incidents targeting public institutions and essential services across Europe, including supermarkets, blood banks, air traffic systems and television broadcasters. The email sent to Italian schools was reportedly signed by an individual claiming to be the leader of an organisation called Vilayat of Misoginistan. The same purported sender had previously claimed responsibility for bomb threats sent to newsrooms in Ireland and Bulgaria. Italian police have launched an investigation into the latest alerts.

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto described the incidents as part of an apparent effort to spread fear and anxiety. European authorities have also raised concerns about possible hybrid disruption campaigns linked to geopolitical tensions. France recently accused Iran of involvement in a cyberattack targeting supermarket refrigeration systems, an allegation Tehran rejected. Meanwhile, concerns over Russian involvement in broader European disruption campaigns have also emerged, although Moscow has denied the accusations.

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