Updated 1.30pm

Bomb threats emailed to schools across the country were likely sent from a foreign IP address en masse to email addresses gleaned from government websites, sources close to the police say.

Schools across the country were struck by bomb threats on Monday morning, in a seemingly coordinated attack.

Sources within government told Times of Malta that every state school in Malta and Gozo received a bomb threat by email on Monday morning, with several private and Church schools also likely to have been targeted.

90 government schools received threatening email

Meanwhile, sources close to the police say that over 90 government schools received the email.

The threats appear to have been unfounded: following checks, impacted schools were instructed to resume classes as normal. 

Reports of a bomb threat to Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary in Naxxar were the first to emerge at around 7.30am in the morning.

Police said that they received reports of similar threats across other schools, including schools in Sliema, St Julian’s, Pieta’, Tarxien, and Santa Venera.

Meanwhile, students at St Michael’s school in Pembroke were evacuated, while those at St Albert the Great College in Valletta were briefly evacuated to Pjazza Regina while authorities carried out the necessary checks.

All schools received an identical email and government sources described the incident as a "coordinated attack". 

Authorities initially considered closing all schools for the day, but decided against it on the advice of bomb disposal experts.

The police's cybercrime unit is now investigating the email and its origins. 

In a joint statement, the Education and Home Affairs Ministry said the emailed threat was "not specific" and that an investigation into the matter is ongoing.

Emails had foreign IP address

According to sources, initial indications suggest that the emails were sent from a foreign IP address, but police have not ruled out the possibility that the perpetrator was operating locally behind a VPN.

The Nationalist Party in a statement expressed solidarity with educators and students and thanked law enforcement officers for taking this case seriously and for doing everything possible to address the situation.

Email threat repeats Islamist tropes

The email which sparked the bomb threat fears repeats several Islamist tropes about enemies of Islam and calls for an Islamic Caliphate to be established.

The email, sent early on Monday morning warned schools of explosive devices in their buildings.