UK Jewish schools among 400 to receive hoax bomb threats

Police say threat not believed to be credible, though some schools choose to lock down or evacuate premises

Over 400 schools across Britain, including several London Jewish schools, received bomb threats Monday morning, though police said that none of them were credible.

The Community Security Trust (CST), responsible for security in Jewish institutions, relayed information about the threats, urging schools to increase vigilance.

“A number of Jewish schools have received email bomb threats from an unknown source demanding money this morning,” a spokesman for CST said. “We want to ensure every location is aware and that they step up their security.”

However, the group did not call for evacuations, following police advice and telling schools to “continue as normal.”

However, at least one Jewish school, Kantor King Solomon High School in Ilford, London, was put on lockdown in response to the threats.

There was a national threat made to lots of schools this morning and KKS went into invacutation to ensure the safety of our site.This was in conjunction with CST and the Metropolitan Police. We have established that there is no further threat and School is now running as normal.

— Kantor King Solomon (@kingsolomonhigh) March 19, 2018

In Humberside alone, 19 schools received threats, police said. Cops stated that the threat is not believed to be credible.”

Fake bomb threats have been received by schools and colleges across the UK – including 19 in our area. Please don't worry – the threat is not believed to be credible. https://t.co/KnHxnjjPrt pic.twitter.com/TNDOp2uqH4

— Humberside Police (@Humberbeat) March 19, 2018

London Metropolitan Police also said that all the threats were hoaxes.

The Met has received a number of reports relating to malicious communications sent to schools across London on Mon 19 Mar – currently being treated as a hoax https://t.co/45EQSsKzkk pic.twitter.com/dDrs5cJnIm

— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 19, 2018

The Home Office and Department of Education told schools receiving the threats to contact their local police, even though the threat letter reportedly warned people against doing so.