LIVE: Galway schools receive bomb threat as full message titled 'death is near'
The Department of Education and Justice are advising schools who have received the email that there is no reason to evacuate and that they do not believe the threats are credible
At least two Galway schools in the east of the county and one in the city have received the same bomb threats which are being emailed to national and secondary schools across the country both north and south.
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton and her colleague Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan say the threats are not credible and that there is no need for schools targeted with the message to be evacuated.
The email, titled ‘DEATH IS NEAR’ was sent to various schools across Ireland this morning and throughout the afternoon issuing an eerie warning that “all that will be left is bones and a bloody mess”.
It’s understood the same email was sent to around 300 schools across the country and that a small number of schools - in Dublin and Cork - decided to evacuate as a precaution.
Gardai say they are aware of the threatening emails and it’s understood Galway schools have been advised by the Department of Education that the authorities are treating the threats as a hoax.
We will have the very latest in our live blog at the bottom of this article.
The full threat is as follows: “This is Mikhail Andropov, leader of the “Red Owl” project. We’ve come to destroy you. We’re going to carry out genocide against your people.
“I’ve been preparing for this for a long time—to kill every single one of you. Just now, I left a powerful explosive device with a remote detonator in a plastic bag inside your building.
“I’ve positioned it so that the shockwave will rip through the entire room. All that will be left of you are bones and a bloody mess.
“We’ve also planted a bomb in your prime minister’s car engine. After that, we’ll finish off the survivors with knives.”
Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton said: “We are aware that a number of schools have received a threatening email this morning.
“I spoke with the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan, this morning and officials in my department have been in contact with An Garda Síochána at senior level regarding this incident and are continuing to liaise closely with them.
“The safety and wellbeing of students, staff and school communities remains our highest priority and my department will continue to work closely with An Garda Síochána on this matter.
“An Garda Síochána have advised my department and are advising schools that they assess this threat as not credible and there is no need for schools to evacuate.
“If a school has received this email, it is asked to please contact the emergency services at 999 and follow the advice of An Garda Síochána.
“An Garda Síochána has received a large volume of phone calls and will liaise with each school in turn, noting that with the volume of calls this may take some time.”
Deputy Garda Commissioner Paul Cleary reminded people what to do in the event of a bomb threat being issued to your workplace:
“If you receive a bomb threat by email, letter or any other message, contact An Garda Síochána immediately by calling 999. Provide as much detail as possible about the threat and the communication you have received," he said.
“Once notified, our Garda Regional Control Centre will assess the credibility of the threat.
“Following that assessment, the Control Centre and/or the Gardaí responding will advise you on the most appropriate course of action. We will do this as quickly as possible.
“It is important to understand that a bomb threat does not automatically mean that a building needs to be evacuated, but attending Gardai will assist with this decision “In many cases, following an assessment, the appropriate response may be to provide advice or carry out a cursory search of the premises.
“Of course, businesses and premises managers retain the ability to make their own decision to evacuate. However, An Garda Síochána will provide professional advice based on our assessment of the information available.
“Our priority is, and always will be, the safety of the public.
“You can be assured that every such report is taken seriously and that An Garda Síochána is committed to providing a professional, proportionate and timely response.”