Schools across South Cyprus sent bomb threat

Schools across South Cyprus received bomb threats by email on Friday morning.

The bomb threats are so far believed to be hoaxes, though some schools immediately took measures and evacuated children from their classrooms.

Primary school teachers union Poad chairwoman Myria Vassiliou said the threat had been sent to primary and secondary schools, and that all the relevant safety protocols had been followed.

In some schools, she added, firefighters had already inspected buildings and children had returned to their classrooms.

The Cyprus News Agency (CNA) said that in response, the education ministry had sent “reassuring messages” to parents of some impacted pupils, telling them that schools are “in contact with the authorities” and that there is “no cause for concern”.

In other schools, they said, pupils remained in the playground until further notice with inspections of the buildings to follow.

Newspaper Phileleftheros reported on Friday that the email appeared to have originated in Russia, but that this may have been done through a virtual private network (VPN), which can alter the appearance of an internet user’s location.

Additionally, secondary school pupils’ parents’ associations’ union chairman Loizos Constantinou told Phileleftheros scheduled school examinations had gone ahead as planned, “without delays or difficulties”.

The police’s cybercrime department is currently investigating the matter, while an extraordinary meeting is being held at the police headquarters in Nicosia to discuss the matter.

The meeting is being attended by police chief Stelios Papatheodorou, education ministry permanent secretary Marina Ioannou Hasapi and other figures.

Education Minister Athena Michaelidou is unable to attend the meeting as she is abroad.

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(Cyprus Mail)