Police in several cities across Canada—including Edmonton—are investigating bomb threats that are similar to threats received in the U.S.
Edmonton Police Service said Thursday afternoon it has received several reports of bomb threats made to local businesses which are similar to threats that have been made in other jurisdictions.
Police said the threats were emailed to local businesses.
Other emailed bomb threats were sent to businesses in communities throughout the province, according to Alberta RCMP. The threats demand Bitcoin payment. As RCMP worked to determine the origin and validity of the threats, they recommended recipients do not respond.
Police and RCMP in other areas, including Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa and Winnipeg, are also investigating threats.
Calgary Police Service said it responded to 15 locations before determining there was no risk to the public.
One busy subway station in downtown Toronto was briefly evacuated this afternoon due to a threat received in the area, but was up and running again within hours. A spokesman for Toronto police said it is not clear whether the threat, or any of the others received across the city, were related to those in other locations.
Meantime, law enforcement agencies across the U.S. have dismissed a series of threats, which they said were meant to cause disruption and compel recipients into sending money.
Some of the email threats received in the U.S. had the subject line "Think Twice," and a demand for a payment in Bitcoin.
With files from the Canadian Press
