Crime: Nationwide bomb threats continue

Today there were again numerous bomb threats across the country. In various federal states, the police reported threats again in the morning, most of which were received by email at schools and other public institutions. The buildings were cleared and searched, and sniffer dogs were deployed in many places. Initially, a real threat situation could not be confirmed in any of the cases.

In the past few days, bomb threats have repeatedly been reported throughout Germany. Schools are particularly in focus. The authors are unknown and the background is unclear. In some cases, the letters made references to the Islamist Hamas and the Gaza war, but the Ukraine conflict was also a topic.

It was initially unclear whether there was a connection between the individual cases. On Tuesday, security circles told the German Press Agency that it could possibly be about weakening the population’s sense of security and stirring up discontent against Israel.

Thuringia

In Erfurt, the town hall was temporarily cordoned off in the morning due to a bomb threat. A sniffer dog was used to search the building, a spokeswoman for the Erfurt police said.

The threat was received by email, but the spokeswoman initially declined to say whether there was a political motive. Employees were asked to leave the building or stay at home. According to the information, areas around the town hall were also partially affected by the closure – such as a bank branch.

The MDR also reported on bomb threats at schools in Erfurt and Neudietendorf (Gotha district). The homepage of the Albert Schweitzer High School in Erfurt stated that all students and teachers had to stay at home because of a bomb threat. A spokeswoman for the Gotha police said that the police were on site at the school in Neudietendorf.

According to the information, there were also threatening letters at a school in the Ilm district and at a bus company in the Gotha district. The police said it was checking whether there were connections to other regional and supra-regional threat situations.

Baden-Württemberg

In Baden-Württemberg, the police evacuated five schools and a university this morning. First a bomb threat was received in Schorndorf, later also in Fellbach, Waiblingen (all three in the Rems-Murr district) and Stuttgart-Vaihingen. A school in Göppingen also received a threatening email before school started. All schools were searched for suspicious objects and the area was cordoned off. However, the emergency services couldn’t find anything.

In Mannheim, the Federal Employment Agency’s university was also evacuated because of a threatening email. A police spokesman confirmed that 150 students had to leave the building in the morning. The measures have now been completed and there is no longer any danger.

When asked, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior reported that all police headquarters had so far worked independently on the cases. This has not yet been brought together because the seriousness of the threats has not yet been confirmed, said a spokeswoman.

However, it is checked each time whether the cases should be combined. “We are monitoring this meticulously and checking the threats every time to ensure they are authentic,” said a spokeswoman. Every threat is taken seriously. The spokeswoman was unable to confirm any references to the conflict in the Middle East.

Threats also in Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia

There were also school evictions in Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia in the morning as a result of threatening letters. In Augsburg, a high school was closed and searched with sniffer dogs, but according to police, investigators assumed there was a low risk.

Classes also had to be canceled in Holzwickede, east of Dortmund. A major police operation was underway on site, but as of this morning there was no indication of danger for teachers and students, the police announced.