All secondary schools and mbo colleges in Leiden will remain closed on Monday on police advice because of a threatened shooting.
The anonymous threat was made on an internet site against an un-named teacher and ‘as many other pupils as possible’, Leiden mayor Henri Lenferink
told NOS News.
Police have been investigating the threat but have so far failed to find out which school is at risk, leading to all secondary schools being shut
down.
Police guards
In addition, police officers will step up their surveillance of secondary schools and mbo colleges in the city, Lenferink said. Police and council
officials are taking the threat ‘extremely seriously’, website nu.nl reported.
Nos states the threat was placed in English on the international website 4chan.org at the weekend and stated ‘tomorrow, I will shoot my Dutch
teacher, and as many students as I can’. The author also said he or she would have a note with them when they entered the school, explaining why
they were doing this.
UPDATE
Dutch police say they have arrested a suspect in an online threat to shoot a teacher and students that prompted authorities to close all the high
schools in the city of Leiden.
Hague police spokeswoman Yvette Verboon confirmed the arrest Monday but would give no further details of the identity of the suspect.
Verboon says police are "investigating his involvement" in the threat that was discovered Sunday. "It is very very possible this suspect has nothing
to do with it. We dont know if we got the right guy"
Police announced the school closures late Sunday, saying they do not want to take any risks while the person who posted the threat remains unknown.
Mayor Henri Lenferink told Dutch television "it could be a morbid joke" but authorities do not want to risk children's lives.
Shooting rampages are rare in the Netherlands, where gun ownership is tightly controlled.
edit on 22-4-2013 by Rick26 because: (no reason
given)