Initial reports on Thursday morning cited 121 affected institutions, but authorities later confirmed the number had exceeded 240, impacting schools nationwide, according to news site HVG.
The threats began early in the day, with parents reporting incidents at various institutions, including prominent schools in Budapest and other cities. Emails containing bomb threats were sent to school administrators, prompting immediate evacuations and the suspension of classes. The warnings claimed explosive devices had been planted and referenced political grievances regarding the treatment of Muslims.
“We have witnessed your governments’ ongoing war against Muslims, and it would be only fair that you should now experience the wrath of the oppressed,” the email said.
The authors of the anonymous letter write that this is not a threat but “a promise, Allah’s will.”
“Intelligence agencies will not be able to protect you, they have failed time and again and will continue to do so,” the email said.
The incidents affected numerous districts in Budapest, including schools in Soroksár, Újbuda, Óbuda, and Csepel. Several high schools and elementary schools were cleared as authorities swept the premises. In some cases, local governments arranged temporary accommodations for students unable to return home, while others were sent home as investigations continued.
Evacuations caused significant logistical challenges, with reports of traffic disruptions and confusion among parents and staff. Despite the widespread nature of the threats, no explosives have been found, and classes in many schools were canceled for the day as a precaution.
Authorities believe the emails originated from a single source and were likely generated using translation software. The messages appeared to target schools indiscriminately. The Hungarian police have launched an investigation into the incidents, treating them as cases of public endangerment under the country’s criminal code.
Efforts are underway to trace the origins of the emails, which were sent using a disposable address flagged in international databases for suspicious activity. Security measures have been heightened at affected schools, and law enforcement agencies are working to reassure the public while ensuring that educational institutions remain safe, according to the report.
“I am on a hotline with the Minister of the Interior We are reinforcing the security of the affected schools and investigating the background of the bomb threats,” Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote on Facebook.
In a press conference today, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás said that there were no signatures on the bomb threats against schools. A decision on whether to change Hungary’s terror threat classification will be taken this afternoon.
“What I think we are dealing with is more likely a lunatic,” Gulyás said, but added that an investigation is ongoing.
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