On-line threats about a bomb attack at Carleton University have rattled the school's community. Ottawa police have deemed the threats are not credible but are investigating a potential suspect in the United States.
The threats through Twitter unnerved students and prompted police to attend here at the campus. They've since reassured Carleton students and staff that there is no threat -- it will be business as usual tomorrow.
It was a graphic and deliberate threat tweeted out in the early hours of Sunday morning and aimed at Carleton University.
"Take this as a warning,” it read, “if you go to campus, you will be among the casualties.”
The account holder claimed to live in Ottawa. The Twitter feed was full of photos of guns and bombs. Ottawa Police quickly determined the threat was not credible.
“The information we have right off the bat is that the information wasn’t credible,” says Sergeant Steven Desjourdy with the Ottawa Police, “That doesn't mean the investigation is closed. We have sent it to our intelligence section which will handle it from this point. And because of nature of social media and the borderless jurisdictions, we've now involved international partners.”
Police believe the on-line threat originated in the United States
“We do have a person in mind and a jurisdiction,” says Desjourdy, “but it’s under investigation and I can't share that information.”
The Twitter account was suspended hours later but not before rattling nerves.
“I started panicking just a little bit because I had a meeting in school,” says Carleton student George Owusu-Mensah, “I was contemplating cancelling it.”
Because it is a statutory holiday, the campus was much quieter than usual. Still, there are students living there and students attending meetings, many of whom had heard about the on-line threats.
Danielle Ben-Shoshan had considered staying home today too, until she saw a reassuring police tweet that the threat was not credible.
“It is a little scary,” she says, “You wouldn't think anything like that would happen here but south of us, it’s happening all the time, so possibly, it could happen here, too.”
Security on campus was clearly evident. Special Constable Michael Radcliffe is with the Department of University Safety, travelling the campus on bike today.
“Ottawa Police responded to the Twitter threats, saying threats not credible,” he said, reassuring those students on campus this holiday Monday.
“The most important thing,” says student David Oladejo, “is when things like that go up (on social media), it is never funny and to report it to police and for university to get involved as well.”
Carleton University sent a message to all staff and students informing them about the threat, about the police involvement and reassuring them that Carleton University will be open as usual Tuesday morning.
