IOWA CITY Iowa
The University of Iowa was placed on alert Monday after an employee received two anonymous e-mails saying four pipe bombs were on university property and that anyone who approached the bombs would activate them and be killed, university officials said.
A campus-wide alert was issued and the Johnson County bomb squad was on standby as university officials and police investigated the e-mails, said Charles Green, assistant vice president and director of public safety for the university.
“We’ve notified our facility management people, our electricians and plumbers and such, that if they see anything suspicious to notify us immediately,” Green said. “We also have our IT (information technology) people looking at the e-mails to try to trace the point of origin.”
He said the e-mails were not specific about where the alleged pipe bombs were located so no specific searches or evacuations were being conducted.
“We don’t have a specific building or target,” Green said. “We’re just on standby to see if we receive any information.”
He said the university has contacted the FBI to see if the agency has information about other universities that have had similar incidents that could provide help.
Green said activity on the campus has been increasing in recent days as students begin moving into apartment or beginning jobs in preparation for the start of classes on Aug. 27.
– Associated Press
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