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Edmonton teens with making threats in cyberspace

EDMONTON — Two Edmonton teenagers have been charged with making threats in cyberspace.

EDMONTON — Two Edmonton teenagers have been charged with making threats in cyberspace.

Police say a 15-year-old sent a threatening text last Thursday that was reported to officers.

They say another threatening post was made the following evening by a 16-year-old using an Internet chat room.

Staff Sgt Regan James said police were already working on the case when the received a heads-up from south of the border.

“We were contacted first on our own website and our processes were already started,” James said Tuesday. “We were then indirectly contacted by the FBI through our own chief and made aware of the same file.

“I must give kudos to the FBI for looking so internationally for a threats complaint.”

The teens, both boys, each face a charge of uttering threats dangerous to the public.

The case is a good example of how people can be held responsible for what they say, even in cyberspace.

“There certainly is an amount of surprise when an individual posts something on the Internet and then suddenly the police are knocking at their door,” James said. “Users of the Internet are certainly open to police scrutiny when they start making threatening comments.”

Both teens were remanded into custody for assessment and are to make another court appearance later in the week.