Hoax bomb threats close schools across Northern Ireland and Scotland

Schools across Northern Ireland and Scotland closed on October 19, 2026, after receiving email bomb threats, according to reports from the Daily Mail, Independent.ie, The Telegraph, and The Herald. [1][4][5][7][8]

The Police Service of Northern Ireland stated that up to 300 schools reported receiving the threat, which originated from outside the United Kingdom, the Daily Mail reported. Meanwhile, Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan put the figure at 160 schools, according to reports from the Daily Mail, Independent.ie, and The Herald. [1][4][5][8]

Minister Paul Givan stated that the threat was signed Allahu Akbar and contained warnings that Sharia law would be introduced, but he noted that the warning was not understood to be viable, according to the Daily Mail and Independent.ie. [1][4][5]

Northern Ireland is a region of the United Kingdom governed by a devolved power sharing executive and assembly at Stormont. The region has a population of around 1.9 million people. [10][12]