Police report 'nothing untoward' found after bomb, gun and knife threat to at least six schools

Police said they think the email which sparked the alert “was circulated in a deliberate attempt to cause significant disruption”.

In addition to being sent to schools and businesses in Co Antrim, the News Letter has also been told that councillors received the message too.

The email (the contents of which have been circulated online) states that pipe bombs have been left at schools and university campuses, and that gun and knife attacks would follow yesterday.

DUP councillor Paul Dunlop, based in Antrim town, said he had found the email in his spam folder yesterday morning.

It had also been sent to several fellow councillors.

He said that a number of schools in the town got it, adding that some parents opted to keep their children at home as a result.

A pre-school which he helps to run, Muckamore Pre-school, didn’t receive the email, but opted to shut yesterday afternoon as a precaution.

He described it as “sick,” adding: “It’s alarming, and has to be condemned. Hopefully the police investigation will get the person or persons responsible.”

One school which revealed itself to be in receipt of the email is St Benedict's College, a Catholic school in Randalstown, south Co Antrim.

It posted online just after 9.30am yesterday: “The PSNI has been informed and, at this stage, the matter is not being treated as a serious threat.”

However, the school went on to add: “As a precaution, school doors will remain locked throughout the day as normal.

“Pupils will remain indoors until we receive further guidance from the PSNI.”

John Stewart, UUP MLA for East Antrim, described the message as a “shameful and unacceptable attempt to create unnecessary fear and concern within our communities”.

“Please be aware – the PSNI have advised that the threats are not considered credible,” he said.

In a statement yesterday afternoon, police said both that it is “not believed to be a credible threat” and that they are taking it “very seriously”.

North Area Commander Chief Superintendent Kelly Moore said: “We continue to examine the nature of contents included within the email – which we believe was circulated in a deliberate attempt to cause significant disruption to daily life.

“However, we would like to reassure communities that nothing untoward has been located following our enquiries, and this is not believed to be a credible threat at this time.

“We would reiterate our earlier appeal, urging anyone to report anything suspicious to police on our 101 number, always 999 in an emergency.

“Police take incidents of this nature very seriously and we understand the concern in the community, not to mention the disruption it has caused.

“We would like to thank each of the schools and businesses affected for their assistance with our enquiries to date.

“We are also aware of social media posts in relation to this matter, and we would appeal to the public not to share posts or speculate online.

“Our enquiries are ongoing and anyone with information that could help is asked to contact 101, quoting reference number 162 19/05/26.”

Later on, she said the operation was now a “malicious communications investigation”, and that the e-mail had affected at least six schools – including in Randalstown, Ballycraigy, and Antrim town – plus “multiple businesses”, mainly in Antrim, but also one based in Ballycastle.

She added: “As part of our enquiries, led by detectives, we are examining a potential link between the email and a false police report to premises in the Mull Road area of Antrim last night.

"Those directly impacted by this incident are being supported by police."