Our view: Bomb threats cause too much concern

We realize safety is a major concern, however that doesn’t mean we should shut everything down the moment a threatening email is received. We think cooler heads could have prevailed Thursday, especially when looking at the email from a logical perspective.

Hiding 500 pounds of plastic explosives across 40 schools across the state would take an impressive amount of coordination. Couple that with filling 10 school fire-sprinkler systems with napalm, hiding 650 pipe bombs in government buildings, 50 sets of C4 explosives at Cheyenne Regional Airport and hiding one thermobaric bomb in “one of the most population dense CDPS in Wyoming,” a situation emerges where the improbable begins to sound impossible.

Imagine how difficult it would be to coordinate that kind of set up, as well as the number of people needed to pull it off in such a way to avoid detection. Add that thought to the fact similar emails were received in multiple states, as well as portions of Canada, and the likelihood of a large-scale, precision attack begins to plummet.

Yet, we can’t fault the school districts in evacuating schools.

As Donna Little-Kaumo said, the district will remain cautious about students safety and in this case, they acted appropriately. Wyoming Homeland Security, with its email about enacting protocol, should reconsider how it approaches these issues.

The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office was little help in cooling potential panic, sending a media release with comment from Det. Dick Blust saying “while there has been no reliable evidence received or uncovered lending credibility to the threats, neither have authorities been able to confirm that they are a hoax.” That’s like saying “we don’t think it will happen, but you never know.”

Earlier this week, when a pressure cooker was found east of Rock Springs, the county bomb squad was called out to respond.

While the squad doing what they’re trained to do, it seems silly to see panic over a discarded dinner due to the possibility of it being used as a bomb.

We find it disappointing to see how easily panic can spread locally. Sudden closures and evacuations only serve to stoke the flames of panic and give the impression the threat is real, regardless of if credible information is discovered or not.

While safety is important, reacting to an emailed threat on its face value only serves to accomplish terrorism’s goal of creating fear and intimidation.

 

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