FBI Says Black College Bomb Threats Being Probed as Hate Crimes

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US federal authorities are investigating the recent rash of bomb threats directed at more than a dozen Black colleges and universities as possible hate crimes, the FBI said in a statement.

"These threats are being investigated as racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism and hate crimes," the agency said on Wednesday.

Earlier, NBC reported, citing an official, that the FBI has tracked down and identified six minors who it says are suspected of being behind the more than dozen bomb threats.

The official said the FBI has located the juveniles living in different parts of the country. They appear to be "tech savvy," employing sophisticated approaches in an attempt to conceal the source of the threats, which appear to be racist in intent, the official said according to the report.

University officials and the FBI said Jackson State University in Mississippi, Alcorn State, Kentucky State University, Howard University, the University of the District of Columbia, Morgan State University, Coppin State University, Fort Valley State, Xavier University, and a number of other HBCUs reported bomb threats.

Morgan State University President David Wilson confirmed in statements and interviews that the university had received threats. After a search of the campus, police officers found no bombs.

He encouraged students to "stay strong, remain resilient, and continue to prepare yourselves to grow the future and lead the world because our nation and world desperately need more leaders steeped in the values we teach here at Morgan." he said.

The university, Wilson added, has embraced the values of leadership, integrity, innovation, diversity, excellence and respect and hate is not one of them, he said.

He said he hoped the FBI would aggressively investigate the case.