The capitals of six US states were evacuated this Wednesday multiple bomb alerts sent via threatening emails. The wave of intimidating messages came six days after the third anniversary of the storming of the Capitol, the episode in which far-right followers of Donald Trump tried to prevent the election of Joe Biden as president.
No explosives or dangerous objects were found during the evacuation and search of official buildings – which house the state legislature and governor’s offices – in the states of Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Montana.
“While everyone is safe, KSP (Kentucky State Police) has asked everyone to evacuate the Capitol and is investigating a threat received from the Office of the Secretary of State,” wrote that state’s governor, Andy Beshear , on the social network
The threat reached official buildings in the form of emails sent “massively” to numerous senior officials across the country, local media reported.
“I have placed several explosives inside your Capitol. The explosives are well hidden inside and will detonate within a few hours. I’ll make sure they all die“the message said.
Authorities in other states confirmed they had been the target of threats, such as in Michigan, where police decided the official building would remain closed all day as a precautionary measure.
Mississippi police investigate bomb threats at Capitol.AP Photo.For its part, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety “successfully cleaned” the Capitol building, according to a spokesperson for the state administration.
“The building was thoroughly searched and no explosives or suspicious equipment were found.” State Senator Brice Wiggins said on social media: “These sick people, who need to be prosecuted, will not stop us from doing our jobs.”
Staff at the Montana Capitol were among those “successfully” evacuated by authorities following the bomb threats. AP photoAdditionally, Gabriel Sterling, director of operations for the Georgia Secretary of State, regretted that the year 2024 began with a bomb threat.
“Capitol personnel delayed their arrival at the Georgia Capitol until approximately 45 minutes later, when they received official clearance from the State Police,” Secretary of State spokesman Mike Hassinger said. cnn.
What the FBI said about bomb threats to state capitals
The same news network reported that the FBI released a statement saying it was “aware of numerous false incidents.”
“The FBI takes false threats very seriously because they put innocent people at risk. “While we have no information indicating a specific, credible threat, we will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners to collect, share and act on threat information as it comes to our attention.” , the office explained. .
The FBI warned that it “takes threats very seriously” even if they are false. AP photoHe added: “We urge the public to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity or persons to law enforcement authorities.”
The incident comes three days before the anniversary of the storming of the US Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, to prevent the election results that gave Joe Biden as the new president from becoming official North American.
In recent months, US authorities have noticed an increasing number of incidents directed against officials and political figures.
Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.