Schools in Italy were evacuated on Tuesday after receiving around 6,300 bomb threat warnings. These threats are part of a series of cyberattacks and threats across Europe, which include supermarkets, blood banks, air traffic, and media.
Response to the Threats
In Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland, many schools received similar warnings from abroad, but these threats were recognized as pranks and did not disrupt classes. In Italy, schools were quickly closed after receiving the warnings, and many parents rushed to pick up their children.
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One parent, Nancy Bago, about her daughter Dafne, said: "My daughter started crying because the kids didn’t understand what was happening, and she was still anxious after I picked her up." She also added: "This is really disturbing. It’s clear that this is just a prank that disrupts lessons and ruins everyone’s day."
Warnings and Their Consequences
The text of the messages sent to schools in Italy included a threat to target Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy. Meloni emphasized that the bomb threats pose no danger and that the police and other public entities are monitoring the situation. One school in Rome informed parents through a messaging app: "All students have been moved to a safe area and are under the supervision of the teaching staff."
The message received in Italy was signed "Mikhail Andropov, leader of the Misogynist Villas." According to a national security source, "Emails (to schools) are public. Sending bomb threat messages was as easy as drinking a glass of water." This writer claimed to be responsible for sending bomb threats to newsrooms in Ireland and Bulgaria as well.
Some European officials are suspicious that Russia may be behind this campaign to disrupt the daily lives of countries supporting Ukraine. Russia has denied this and accused the West of launching a smear campaign. Iran has also been mentioned as another suspect. France summoned the Iranian ambassador on Tuesday and accused Tehran of a cyberattack that rendered the refrigerators of hundreds of supermarkets unusable. Iran has dismissed these accusations as "baseless and hostile."
Guido Crosetto, Italy's Defense Minister, stated that the threats on Wednesday are part of a clear strategy to "spread fear and create anxiety." He added: "It’s not always the work of foreign countries or hostile entities. There are also individuals looking for attention and crazies who can’t wait to instill fear in a city or region at such a time."
Antonello Giannelli, head of the Italian Association of School Managers, said that these warnings have been distressing for students, families, and teaching staff. He added: "Although the threats today are clearly pranks, we cannot underestimate the consequences of incidents that worry entire school communities and disrupt normal educational activities."
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