More than 150 schools evacuated after ‘Islamist’ bomb threat as parents told to ‘come immediately’

A spokesman for the Police Service of Northern Ireland also said officers had received reports of the threatening emails.

“Police received reports today, Monday, October 19, of an email sent to a number of schools across Northern Ireland,” the force announced.

“As a result of this email, police are conducting urgent enquiries and liaising with the schools in question.”

Police Scotland also confirmed they are “aware of threatening messages being sent to several schools”, which are currently being “treated as a hoax” while officers investigate.

St Colman’s Primary School Lambeg in Lisburn issued an immediate warning, calling on parents to “come immediately” and collect their children.

However, the school insisted: “Please don’t panic, the children are all safe”.

Mr Givan told a press conference this morning he was “hugely disappointed” by some schools’ decision to close.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mr Givan confirmed: “This morning 160 schools received a threat reporting – it would appear to me from Islamists threatening that Sharia law will be brought into our country and that there is viable devices within those school settings and it was signed off ‘Allah Akbar’.

“That has been escalated to the PSNI, and the Education Authority are having emergency meetings with the police this morning.

“At this stage, the advice to schools is that we’re not treating this as a viable threat, but it has clearly caused huge alarm.”

He said “some schools have closed as a result” and he condemned the fact “there has been this level of disruption caused to young people’s education”.

The minister continued: “But obviously, we are working through a process with the PSNI in terms of dealing with that email that was communicated to those schools.

“We’ve advised schools to be in contact with their local policing district commands, and unless they have a specifically identified object in their school, that isn’t something that should warrant them taking any further action whereby they are closing.

“But obviously, this is something that ought to be condemned by everybody, and I am hugely disappointed that for some schools they have had to close, but it is not something that we are regarding as a viable threat, but nevertheless, hugely disruptive and very distressing.”

The Education Authority (EA) said it is “aware” of the email that had been sent.

A spokesman said: “We recognise the concern this may cause for school leaders, staff, pupils and families.

“We are engaging closely with the PSNI and will act on their advice. Communications have been issued to schools, and we continue to support school leaders and keep them informed.”