Dozens of elementary schools located in Athens and broader Attica received bomb threats via e-mail on Wednesday morning, Greek police said.
The e-mails with identical content were sent to at least 35 schools from an anonymous sender outside Greece and alleged that explosives were stored in schools in Gerakas, Aigaleo, Ilioupoli, Haidari, Pallini. Galatsi, Nea Ionia and others.
“We will blow you up like our brothers did in Paris,” the long message said among others, with reference to past terrorist attacks.
Upon opening the e-mails, students and teachers were ordered to evacuate the classes.
Police started to conduct on-site inspections, while the Cyber Crime Division has launched an investigation to identify the sender.
Authorities believe that the bomb threats is a hoax, adding that the apparent aim of the initiators is to cause panic.
Speaking to state broadcaster ERT, a director at an elementary school in Gerakas said that she opened the e-mail at 8:05 in the morning, informed the police and evacuated pupils and personnel to a nearby stadium.
The massive e-mails sending coincides with the Europe Conference League final on Wednesday night, with 5,000 police officers on the streets and draconian security measures.
*thumbnail: archive