Around 160 schools across Northern Ireland have received threatening emails claiming explosive devices have been planted on their premises, prompting precautionary evacuations and a police investigation.

The messages were received on Monday morning, 19 October, as pupils were arriving for lessons.

Some schools evacuated children as a precaution, while others remained open after consulting police and following official guidance.

The emails reportedly threatened terrorist attacks and claimed explosives had been placed inside school buildings.

However, Northern Ireland Education Minister Paul Givan said the threats were not currently being treated as credible, despite the alarm and disruption caused.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has launched enquiries to establish who sent the messages and assess the reported threats.

Schools take precautionary action

Among the schools affected was the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, a grammar school in Belfast.

Parents were informed that numerous schools had received threatening messages and that precautions were being taken.

Pupils were evacuated in a manner similar to a fire drill while the situation was assessed. The school subsequently received police advice that it was safe for lessons to resume.

Other schools continued operating while following guidance from the authorities.

The full extent of the disruption across Northern Ireland was not immediately clear.

Minister confirms scale of threats

Speaking to reporters at Stormont, Mr Givan confirmed that approximately 160 schools had received the threatening communication.

He said the emails referred to explosives and contained language invoking Islamist extremism.

Mr Givan said: “This morning 160 schools received a threat report – 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’.”

His comments described the apparent content of the messages. Police have not established the identity of the sender or whether there is any connection to an extremist organisation.

The emails reportedly claimed that explosive devices containing ammonium nitrate had been placed inside school buildings.

One passage stated: “We will carry out a series of planned terrorist attacks across this country.”

There has been no confirmation that any explosive device has been discovered at the schools involved.

Police and education authorities investigate

Mr Givan confirmed that the matter had been escalated to the PSNI, with the Education Authority holding emergency discussions with police.

He said the response was being coordinated to ensure schools received appropriate advice.

“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 told reporters.

The investigation is continuing, with authorities working to establish the origin of the emails and determine whether any further action is required.

Parents and schools are being advised to follow official instructions while police enquiries continue.