At least 300 schools across Italy were evacuated on Wednesday following bomb threats sent by email, prompting security operations in major cities including Rome, Milan, Florence, Turin, Sanremo, Vicenza, Naples, Bari, Cagliari and Palermo.
The number of affected schools could rise, state-run media reported, citing Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara, reports AP.
At least 12 schools each in Rome, including primary schools and nurseries, Milan and the wider Lombardy region, and Naples and the Campania region received the threats.
The emails were reportedly sent by an individual claiming to be “Mikhail Andropov, leader of Vilayat Misoginistan”. The sender threatened a “genocide against Italians” and claimed that explosives had been planted at every targeted school and in the education minister’s car.
Italian news agency ANSA reported that police were investigating the message attributed to the little-known group.
Cristina Costarelli, head of the Lazio school principals’ association, described the sender as a “myth maniac” seeking to spread panic.
Police and Carabinieri military police conducted searches with explosive ordnance specialists but found no evidence of explosives.
However, students and teachers were evacuated as a precaution while security checks were carried out.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called an emergency Cabinet meeting for 4pm local time (1500 GMT) to assess the situation.
