Over 2,000 Messages in One Night: Lithuania Hit by Wave of False Bomb Threats
On Wednesday night, a series of Lithuanian institutions, companies, and organizations received mass threats of bomb placement in Russian language. According to the Police Department, the emails were sent to approximately 2,000 addresses and originated from five different email accounts, as reported by LRT.
Since Friday, Lithuanian institutions have already received thousands of emails containing false threats of explosives planted in schools, kindergartens, and municipal buildings. Similar messages have also reached Latvia and Estonia.
"The level of threat remains unchanged, and we urge everyone to follow the recommendations provided by the police and the National Crisis Management Center. The responsible services are operating at full capacity," the police statement mentioned.
Law enforcement agencies are requesting the leaders of organizations that received threats to continue following the updated recommendations issued on Tuesday and to consult with the police. Calling the emergency number 112 is advised only in case of identifying a suspicious object after inspecting a location and its premises.
Police also recommend that institutions and organizations review their evacuation plans, assess their practicality, and ensure their readiness.
It's worth noting that France has encountered a similar issue. On Tuesday, the office of the public TV channel France 3 in the French city of Reims was evacuated and closed following anonymous threats "in the name of Allah."
Additionally, there were reports of a bomb threat at the Palace of Versailles, leading to the emergency evacuation of its staff and visitors. This is not the first such threat targeting Versailles recently. The previous incident occurred on October 14, resulting in the evacuation of visitors and staff. The palace could only reopen to visitors the following day.
In recent times, France has seen an increase in bomb threats at schools. According to the French Minister of Education, Gabriel Attal, the number of such reports has risen since the start of the new school year, with 168 false alarms recorded in schools from the beginning of September.
On August 28, Poland's largest international airport also evacuated people due to a bomb threat. The emergency situation arose from the contents of a passenger's luggage originating from the Republic of South Africa, en route to Dubai. It was discovered that an item resembling a grenade was found in the passenger's luggage. At the time, around 400 individuals were in the airport building.