A man claiming to be a member of the Islamic State sent threatening messages to around 40 schools in France in which he claimed to have planted explosive devices that would go off at 3pm local time (but 4pm in Romania). reports LeFigaro, quoted. from news.ro. The author of the message also threatens students with beheading.

“Tomorrow, Thursday, March 21st, I will blow up the entire school at 3:00 PM and behead all your kafir (infidel) bodies to serve the almighty Allah who rules the world,” the email said. 40 schools are threatened.

The author of the report also reports that “C-4 explosives were placed everywhere” in the schools in the premises and in the classrooms of the high school in Haute-de-Seine, in Sèvres.

“I hope your kaffir bodies are blown into 1000 pieces. I will bring my dogs to tear you apart, you pack of infidels,” the author also reports.

He refers to a verse from the Koran: “kill those who disbelieve in Allah” and asks others to join him.

The message, which reached hundreds of students in France, was accompanied by a video of the beheading, a video that also circulated online during the 2015 terrorist attacks in France.

Authorities say the threat is most likely a “hoax” but are taking the investigation seriously and have thoroughly searched some of the threatened high schools.

Parents, after reading the threatening messages, asked their children not to go to school on Thursday, and law enforcement officers are present in these places.