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U.S. NEWS Friday 14 december 2018

Authorities: Wave of hoax bomb threats made across U.S.

NEW YORK (AP) — A wave “As always, we encourage
of bomb threats emailed the public to remain vigi-
Thursday to hundreds of lant and to promptly report
schools, businesses and suspicious activities which
government buildings could represent a threat
across the U.S. triggered to public safety,” the FBI
searches, evacuations and said in a statement. Across
fear — but there were no the country, some schools
signs of explosives, and au- closed early and others
thorities said the scare ap- were evacuated or placed
peared to be a crude ex- on lockdown because of
tortion attempt. the hoax. Authorities said a
Law enforcement agen- threat emailed to a school
cies across the country dis- in Troy, Missouri, about 55
missed the threats, saying miles (88 kilometers) north-
they were meant to cause east of St. Louis, was sent
disruption and compel re- from Russia.
cipients into sending mon- The bomb threats also
ey and were not consid- prompted evacuations at
ered credible. city hall in Aurora, Illinois,
Some of the emails had the the offices of the News &
subject line: “Think Twice.” A police officer removes police tape along California Street in San Francisco, Thursday, Dec. 13, Observer in Raleigh, North
They were sent from a 2018. Carolina, a suburban At-
spoofed email address. The Associated Press lanta courthouse and busi-
sender claimed to have that have been sent elec- time.” said they had no reason to nesses in Detroit.
had an associate plant a tronically to various loca- Other law enforcement believe that threats made “Organizations nationwide,
small bomb in the recipi- tions throughout the city,” agencies also dismissed to locations in those areas both public and private,
ent’s building and that the the New York City Police the threats, which were were credible. One of the have reported receiving
only way to stop him from Department’s counterter- written in a choppy style emails wound up in a spam emailed bomb threats to-
setting it off was by mak- rorism unit tweeted. “These reminiscent of the Nigerian filter, Boise Police Chief Wil- day,” Michigan State Po-
ing an online payment of threats are also being re- prince email scam. liam Bones said. lice spokeswoman Shan-
$20,000 in Bitcoin. ported to other locations The Palm Beach County, The FBI said it is assisting law non Banner said. “They are
“We are currently monitor- nationwide & are NOT Florida, sheriff’s office and enforcement agencies that not targeted toward any
ing multiple bomb threats considered credible at this the Boise, Idaho, police are dealing with the threats. one specific sector.”q

Man puts up sculpture of middle

finger as a message to town

By LISA RATHKE that he has been trying for where it can be seen from
Associated Press about 10 years to move the road.
WESTFORD, Vt. (AP) — A his truck repair and recy- “I wasn’t trying to get fame
Vermont man who is in an cling business to his prop- out of it at all.... I’m just
ongoing dispute with his erty but has been unable mad,” he said. “I just got
town has let officials know to get a permit. He paid pushed in the corner, and
exactly how he feels by about $3,000 to have the it’s just I’m done with it.”
erecting a large wooden roughly 7-foot-tall (2-meter- Since the sculpture went
sculpture of a fist with the tall) sculpture carved with up, people have been
middle finger raised on his a chain saw. In Novem- stopping by during the day Ted Pelkey stands in front of a wooden sculpture on his front
front lawn. ber, he put it on a 16-foot and even night to take lawn on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018, in Westford, Vt.
Ted Pelkey said Thursday (4.8-meter) pole with lights photos of it and with it.q Associated Press