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ORILLIA, Ont. — Police in Ontario say they have "strong reason" to believe a person arrested in Morocco by Belgian police was also behind alleged bomb threats against schools across much of the province earlier this month. 

Ontario Provincial Police said Thursday that Belgian police have arrested an individual in Morocco in connection to a series of bomb threats against schools in Belgium earlier this week. 

"The investigation in this province ... has given investigators strong reason to believe the individual from Morocco was also responsible for the threats and major disruption here in Ontario," the OPP said in a statement.

The OPP said multiple schools and public facilities got threatening messages on Nov. 1 claiming bombs had been placed at their locations, but "no actual explosives were ever found."

The threats included demands for money in exchange for information about the alleged explosives.

OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson said it's believed that Belgian police worked with authorities in Morocco to make the arrest. He said details about the suspect, including the person's age and gender, have not yet been released.

OPP said they cannot speculate on when or if the person will face charges in Canada, but they continue to investigate and will be working closely with Belgian police. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 30, 2023. 

The Canadian Press