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November 28, 2012

30 courthouses receive bomb threats

The Associated Press Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Bomb threats to 30 courthouses and other government buildings across Tennessee forced many to be evacuated Tuesday, including the federal building in Memphis, but authorities said no explosives were found.

Tennessee became the fourth state to deal with similar bomb hoaxes. One targeted 28 courthouses in Oregon and similar threats were reported in Nebraska and Washington this month.

Nine threats were reported in West Tennessee counties — including the Memphis federal building — seven in Middle Tennessee and 14 in East Tennessee, said Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security spokeswoman Dalya Qualls.

No arrests have been made in Tennessee and authorities had searched about 14 courthouses by Tuesday afternoon.

Jeremy Heidt, a spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, said the threats were made by telephone to court clerk offices. “It’s been going on all morning,” said Heidt.

The threats to courthouses in Ashland City and Clinton were made by men.

“It was just a man’s voice saying simply if this is the Cheatham County Courthouse you’re about to be blown up, and it startled me. So I just said I’m sorry. I tried to get him to repeat himself and that’s when it just cut off and I thought ‘Oh my,”’ Cheatham County deputy clerk Rebecca Nicholson told WTVF-TV.

Anderson County Clerk Jeff Cole told The Knoxville News Sentinel that a man’s voice simply said “There’s a bomb in the building” and hung up.

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