Bomb Threats Disrupt 18 Spanish International Schools

TODAY, a series of bomb threats caused the closure of 18 international schools across Spain.

On Monday, December 18, a malicious email triggered the closure of 18 schools across Spain including locations in Pontevedra, Tenerife, Zaragoza, Reus, Tarragona, Villareal, and Castellon.

Widespread Threats And Evacuations

Each incident was marked by a worrying pattern. Every school received an email warning of ‘explosives inside the school’, as reported by Spanish media. This disturbing development echoes a recent evacuation at the French Lycee of El Campello which was also prompted by a similar threatening message.

The affected institutions, spanning from the mainland to the Canary Islands, were all international educational centres.

False Alarm In Tarragona

In Tarragona, the Mossos confirmed that the bomb threat received by three schools was a false alarm. These schools, including the Liceo Frances of Reus, the Jigsaw British School of Catllar, and the Socrates Educa International School of Salou, underwent evacuations and thorough checks. Once it was clear that there was no threat, normal activities resumed.

Zaragoza’s Lycee Francais Moliere Alert

The Lycee français Moliere in Zaragoza was among the institutions receiving the alarming email this Sunday. The school’s management confirmed the receipt of this email, part of a series sent to 18 schools, suggesting the presence of explosives.

Palma’s French Lyceum’s Close Call

Another incident occurred last Friday at Palma’s French Lyceum. The incident which saw canine units from the National Police conduct a search following a similar email threat. Fortunately, no signs of explosives were found, and the school did not require evacuation.

These incidents, characterised by identical threatening emails, have raised concerns about the safety and security of international schools in Spain.

While all threats have proven to be false alarms, the impact on the school communities has been significant. The motivation behind the malicious emails is not known at this moment in time.