Everything we know about bomb threat hoax targeting 1,000 Scottish schools

After more than 1,000 schools were targeted by hoax “bomb threats”, police have provided an update on the ongoing investigation.

Schools across the country were sent threatening emails, which police have now confidently determined to be “hoaxes”.

What did the messages contain?

Assistant chief constable Mark Sutherland provided an update in which he confirmed the messages contained bomb threats along with “threatening and disturbing language”.

Police Scotland’s cyber and fraud unit are still investigating where the messages came from.

How many schools were affected?

Police confirmed that around 1,000 schools were contacted through distribution lists.

Areas in which schools were targeted included:

Edinburgh
Aberdeenshire
Fife
Perth and Kinross
Highlands
Orkney
West Lothian
Inverclyde
North Ayrshire
Angus
South Lanarkshire
East Lothian

Some schools in areas such as Perth and Kinross, Fife and Inverclyde were evacuated.

Mr Sutherland said: “Based on what we know there is no requirement to evacuate schools or to keep children away from education settings.

“Yes, we should be vigilant in all our public spaces, but there is no need to be alarmed.”

How did police investigate?

Police were informed of suspected bomb threat sent to schools and within the hour were able to confidently assess them to be hoaxes.

“These messages were immediately assessed and we are treating them as hoaxes. Our enquiries have established that there is nothing to suggest that they represent a credible threat or that there is any wider threat to the public,” he said.

Asked whether these threats are linked to threats made a few weeks ago, Mr Sutherland said they were keeping “an open mind” and that both investigations are ongoing.

Police warn against misinformation

Mr Sutherland says that the threats are meant to cause misinformation and undermine public trust.

He added: “They want to cause disruption. They want to cause misinformation and mistrust among our society and its really important that we stay together and that we are cohesive as a society and we work together and sure that when Police Scotland give the information that this is a hoax that the public can have confidence in that position.”

Police are continuing to liaison with international partners to trace the source of the threats.