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The FBI has identified at least five people who it believes were involved in sending bomb threats to more than two dozen historically Black colleges and universities over the past month, FBI counterterrorism division deputy assistant director James Tarasca said on a call with academia and faith-based leaders Wednesday.
Four of the individuals have already been interviewed by the FBI about the threats, which are being investigated as "racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism and hate crimes." The other individual is expected to be interviewed as soon as Wednesday.
None of the bomb threats were deemed credible, but they are all believed to be related, the FBI said.
A student walks on the campus of Howard University, one of six historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the United States that received bomb threats, in Washington, U.S., January 31, 2022. (REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File Photo)
The first threat came on Jan. 4, when someone called the FBI's New Orleans field office and threatened Xavier University.
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"The caller stated there were bombs placed around Xavier University, a [vehicle borne improvised explosive device] would be driven to Xavier in a van and the militia would arrive at an undisclosed time in the future to conduct a mass shooting," Tarasca said of the threat.
"The caller stated the reason for the threat is retaliation for Dylann Roof, and to quote, 'Take back America from Black people.’"
Dylann Roof murdered nine Black people at a historically Black church in South Carolina in 2015. He became the first American to be sentenced to death for a federal hate crime two years later.
Nine other HBCUs also received bomb threats on Jan. 4 "following a similar fact pattern."
North Carolina Central University, a historically Black college in Durham, received a bomb threat on Jan. 4. (North Carolina Central University)
On Jan. 9, three historically Black churches and an eleventh HBCU received a bomb threat.
Between Saturday and Tuesday, more than a dozen other HBCUs received bomb threats, including Bowie State University, Southern University, Howard University, Delaware State University, Albany State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Judson University, Howard University, University of D.C., Kentucky State University, Morgan State University, Fort Valley State University, Edward Waters University, Spelman College, Mississippi Valley State University, Alcorn State University, Tougaloo College, and others.
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The caller in the threat against Bethune-Cookman University in Florida described a plot involving seven bombs hidden in bags and a gunman that would open fire on campus on Monday, Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said during a news conference.
Students walk on the campus of Howard University, one of several historically Black colleges and universities across the United States that received bomb threats, in Washington, U.S. January 31, 2022. (REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger)
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The most recent bomb threats were sent "via spoofed telephone numbers using the 'Text Now' application," Tarasca said.
The threats came in the weeks leading up to Black History Month, which began Tuesday.
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