Taipei: Taipei police are investigating a bomb threat after an online post claimed explosives would be placed in several senior high schools and universities in Taiwan’s capital city. The Taipei City Police Department said the post potentially constitutes public intimidation, and that it had notified all precincts to strengthen security around school campuses.
According to Focus Taiwan, the department received the information from the National Police Agency’s (NPA) Railway Police Bureau, which reported that a user of Discord, an instant messaging and video communication platform, had publicly claimed they would place bombs in multiple schools in Taipei City. Taipei Police Commissioner Lee Hsi-ho informed the city council that police had reviewed relevant online data, enlisted the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) for assistance, and instructed local precincts to enhance safety measures at the schools.
Lu Chun-hung, chief of the city police’s Criminal Investigation Division, stated that precincts were alerted immediately after the message was received, and they reported nothing suspicious at campuses during initial inspections. The Ministry of Education (MOE) confirmed it had received a notice from the NPA regarding the unidentified individual’s threat to place bombs on campuses in Taipei City and New Taipei.
The K-12 Education Administration indicated it received the alert at 6 a.m. through its security control system and informed schools to “cooperate with local police units and carry out campus security reporting.” The administration further requested the Taipei City Department of Education and the New Taipei City Education Department to continue reinforcing campus security measures, increase the frequency, timing, and routes of campus patrols, and remain vigilant for suspicious individuals.
The Taipei City Department of Education reported that it activated the campus security mechanism upon receiving the notice and instructed schools to tighten access control and campus patrols. The department noted that “no actual danger or signs of explosives have been found.”