Italy evacuates 300 schools following coordinated bomb threat emails
The threats, which included a claim against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, prompted security checks across several major Italian cities.
At least 300 schools across Italy, including locations in Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples, Turin, and Palermo, were evacuated on Wednesday after receiving bomb threat emails, according to reports from Times Now and Free Press Journal.
The messages contained identical warnings of mass violence and claimed that powerful explosive devices had been placed inside school buildings. One email also alleged that a bomb had been placed in the car of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The emails were signed by a person using the name Mikhail Andropov, who identified himself as the leader of the Vilayat of Misoginistan. This name has also been linked to similar threats sent to media outlets in Ireland and Bulgaria last week.
Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara told La7 TV that the alerts were presumed to be hoaxes, noting that the large number of schools affected suggested the threats had little credibility. However, he added that the number of affected schools could rise.
Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said the alerts appeared to be a strategy to sow terror and destabilise the country. He stated he would report the situation and broader security concerns to Parliament.
Police and Carabinieri military police are currently conducting security checks with explosives experts. Prime Minister Meloni reportedly called an urgent cabinet meeting at 4 pm local time to assess the situation.