More than 50 Schools get Bomb Threats

By Prior Beharry

JUST before 8 am on Friday more than 50 secondary schools across Trinidad and Tobago receive bomb threats .

They came via email and even police in the Caroni and North Eastern Divisions got threats about schools.

Minister of Education Nyan Gadsby-Dolly said that some schools received the bomb threat email but it went into their spam mail. She said the count had reached about 55 schools when she held a press conference after 12 noon on Friday.

At the press conference, Gadsby-Dolly said even primary and Early Childhood Care Education (ECCE) received the threat as well as eight schools in Tobago.

She said this was a criminal matter.

Gadsby-Dolly said schools were evacuated and once children were outside of classes for more than an hour they were dismissed.

Earlier in the day, the ministry condemned the threat via a press release and the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service stated it was actively investigating the reports which were treated at as high priority.

The TTPS stated that the matter was engaging the attention of the Cyber Crime Unit, the Special Branch, bomb technicians and all divisional commanders where affected schools are located.

It stated, “The TTPS is also warning all persons who are responsible for these threats that these matters will be thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators will be brought to justice.”

Gadsby-Dolly confirmed that a document circulating on social media was very similar to what the schools received. It had 13 sentences in one line each in caps. It stated that explosives were planted in the territory of the building and “WE WILL TAKE REVENGE ON YOU ALL.”

Other sentences included: “TRINIDAD WILL BLEED”, “WE’LL CORNER YOU IN YOUR HOUSE”, “IN THE NEXT WORLD ONLY BOILING AWAITS YOU”  and “SOON, VERY SOON, A SEA OF BLOOD WILL BE SPILLED”

That email was sent at 7.19 am.

The affected schools included:

• ASJS Boys College, Charlieville;
• ASJS Girls College, Charlieville;
• ASJA Primary School, Charleville;
• Presentation College, Chaguanas;
• Hillview College, El Dorado;
• St Augustine Girls High School;
• St James Secondary;
• Rio Claro East Secondary;
• Bishops Girls, Woodbrook;
• Penal Secondary;
• Penal Convent;
• Signal Hill Secondary;
• Scarborough Secondary;
• Pentecostal Life and Light Foundation School;
• Belmont Secondary;
• Speyside Secondary;
• Iere High School in Siparia;
• Parvati Girls, Debe