Reykjavík school leaders receive bomb threat guidance

School leaders and other managers at Reykjavík City have received bomb threat guidance from the National Commissioner of Police after threats were sent to some city institutions, mbl.is reports. It has not been confirmed which institutions received threats or whether any schools were among them.

The commissioner’s security division considers the threats not credible and believes they originated outside Europe.

The guidance, from the commissioner’s special police unit, advises staff who receive a threat by phone to stay calm and keep the caller on the line as long as possible. They should write down what the caller says as accurately as they can and note the caller’s accent, speech and any background sounds.

Staff are considered best placed to search their own premises because they know the surroundings and can identify things that do not belong. If they find a suspicious object, they should not touch or move it. The guidance notes that a bomb can look like anything.

A checklist included in the email advises staff to remain calm and friendly and not to hang up, even if the caller does. It suggests asking where the bomb is, when it will explode, why the caller is doing this and who they are. Staff should also note whether the caller sounds drunk, is laughing or angry, and whether background noise includes traffic, music, a gathering or typing.