Bomb threats in St. Pölten: Nine schools evacuated!

Bomb threats in St. Pölten: Nine schools evacuated!

St. Pölten, Österreich - nine schools in Lower Austria were cleared on Monday after several bomb threats had been received since the evening before. Security authorities immediately responded to the threat situation and used all available funds to defuse the situation. Among the affected schools are three in the state capital of St. Pölten, while further locations were not announced by the police. To ensure security, searched for specific search dogs and explosive experts the buildings, but explosive devices have so far remained undetected.

The police spokesman Johann Baumschlager informed that at least nine bomb threats were sent by email. These threats created using artificial intelligence announced that a bomb in a school should explode on Monday morning. These alarming developments are reminiscent of similar incidents from autumn 2022, in which bomb threats against Austrian institutions were also registered.

Investigations into the backgrounds

In terms of past bomb threats, there are new findings regarding an unknown group of perpetrators from Germany. The Linz public prosecutor confirms that the threats may not only be assigned to a suspicious Swiss. The "digital lane" of the perpetrators leads to the neighboring country of Germany, where the investigation by the state protection management and intelligence service (DSN) continues. So far, however, no suspects have been identified, apart from a 20-year-old Swiss, to which four threatening emails are assigned.

An EU's provisional order against this Swiss was issued, but it remains at large and still has access to his laptop and cell phone. Historically, such threats have significant effects: the economic damage of the ÖBB in the higher five -digit range was to be estimated in the previous year. A total of 690 trains were affected, and the delays added up to around 29,000 minutes without taking into account the ingoted holding and trains.

motif and context

The motif behind these threats could be with the intention of "frightening" authorities. This procedure is partially classified as a "special case of cyberbullying". While a bomb threat against the Linz State Police Directorate (LPD) of Upper Austria is targeting another suspect with psychological problems, in the event of threats at the academic high school in Linz, it is determined against unknown persons.

The current incidents fit into a nationwide wave of bomb threats that have recently been received at various schools and educational institutions. Experts and investigators continue to work to take the perpetrators and to restore security in the institutions concerned. Further information about the extensive threat situation can be found on Spiegel.

The security situation remains tense and the authorities are faced with the challenge of continuing the accelerated investigation and the protection of students and teachers in schools.