UPDATE: Several Vienna schools evacuated after bomb threats
Police have undertaken a large operation and evacuated students and staff from multiple schools in Vienna after the schools received bomb threats.
Police say they're taking the threats, reportedly from people claiming to be fighting on behalf of the Islamic State (IS) terror group, very seriously.
Thousands of students from several vocational schools in Vienna's central 15th district of Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus, as well as in Meidling and Hernals have been evacuated as police investigate.
The first call came in Wednesday morning to the School of Trade and Travel on Hütteldorfer Straße. Over the course of the morning, more threats came in, resulting in the evacuation of seven schools in total.
Austrian newspaper Heute has obtained a copy of the threatening e-mail - sent from an anonymous account late Tuesday evening to the schools.
It reportedly reads: "We're fighting for the Islamic State," saying that sometime between November 7th and 11th "WE will carry out a cleanse in Vienna's schools."
It then reportedly ends with a threat to "unbelievers".
Police have not yet confirmed the authenticity of the e-mail or threat, but say they're taking it seriously.
Wir informieren, dass derzeit mehrere Bombendrohungen in Schulen eingelangt sind. In enger Abstimmung mit der Bildungsdirektion werden die betroffenen Schulen für die Dauer der Durchsuchung evakuiert. (1/3) #w0811
— POLIZEI WIEN (@LPDWien) November 8, 2023
Bomb squad and canine units are on scene investigating, but so far all searches for explosive materials have turned up no evidence of a real bomb to match the threat.
Police are pleading for calm while they continue to investigate, assuring people that with the evacuations now carried out, there is no danger remaining to the public.
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Police say they're taking the threats, reportedly from people claiming to be fighting on behalf of the Islamic State (IS) terror group, very seriously.
Thousands of students from several vocational schools in Vienna's central 15th district of Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus, as well as in Meidling and Hernals have been evacuated as police investigate.
The first call came in Wednesday morning to the School of Trade and Travel on Hütteldorfer Straße. Over the course of the morning, more threats came in, resulting in the evacuation of seven schools in total.
Austrian newspaper Heute has obtained a copy of the threatening e-mail - sent from an anonymous account late Tuesday evening to the schools.
It reportedly reads: "We're fighting for the Islamic State," saying that sometime between November 7th and 11th "WE will carry out a cleanse in Vienna's schools."
It then reportedly ends with a threat to "unbelievers".
Police have not yet confirmed the authenticity of the e-mail or threat, but say they're taking it seriously.
Wir informieren, dass derzeit mehrere Bombendrohungen in Schulen eingelangt sind. In enger Abstimmung mit der Bildungsdirektion werden die betroffenen Schulen für die Dauer der Durchsuchung evakuiert. (1/3) #w0811
— POLIZEI WIEN (@LPDWien) November 8, 2023
Bomb squad and canine units are on scene investigating, but so far all searches for explosive materials have turned up no evidence of a real bomb to match the threat.
Police are pleading for calm while they continue to investigate, assuring people that with the evacuations now carried out, there is no danger remaining to the public.
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