Man Who Sent Death Threats to First-Graders and Threatened to Blow Up Prague's Astronomical Clock Detained

Detectives from Prague's 4th district have detained a 39-year-old man who, between August and September this year, sent a string of threatening emails to the Prague and Central Bohemian Region police. The news was confirmed by Prague police spokesman Jan Daněk in a statement issued on Saturday.

According to police, the man is charged with making violent threats against both a group of people and specific individuals, as well as spreading a false report of a terrorist attack. He has been taken into custody at the request of investigators.

Threats Against First-Graders and a Bomb Threat at the Astronomical Clock

In his emails, the suspect threatened to kill an entire class of first-graders, made threats against doctors and university students, and vowed to carry out an attack in the centre of Prague. The biggest stir was caused by a message sent in late August, warning of an alleged bomb about to go off at the Old Town Astronomical Clock — Prague's famous orloj.

That warning forced the evacuation of roughly 650 people from the area, while bomb disposal experts swept the entire building.

Detained at the Train Station, Cleared by Psychiatric Evaluation

Police say the suspect was apprehended by officers from the 1st General Crime Police Department of the 4th police district on Monday, shortly after he arrived in Prague by train. A psychiatric evaluation found no mental disorder that would exempt him from criminal responsibility.

Investigators also determined that the man had engaged in similar behaviour before. Spreading a false threat carries a sentence of up to three years in prison. Prague police have recorded 21 such cases so far this year, of which fewer than half have been solved.

Source: novinky.cz