Here’s a story that shows just how complacent and uncaring mainstream media has become about the possibility of terror attacks inside the United States, as New Mexico State University is evacuated after a bomb threat from a man with an Arabic accent using the words “Al Qaeda”—and the only place you can find the news is on local web sites (and LGF): ‘Terror threat’ hits NMSU. (Hat tip: wrenchwench.)

What the FBI called “a possible terrorist threat” forced the evacuation Thursday of most of New Mexico State University during midterm examinations.

A similar call to the Sun-News also led to an evacuation of workers and a lockdown of nearby Central Elementary School.

No explosives were found in either location.

A man with an Arab accent called the NMSU president’s office and the newspaper about 8 a.m. and said a bomb was going to explode on campus. The caller to the Sun-News also made a threat against the newspaper.

The FBI is heading the investigation because the caller to the Sun-News said “they were going to blow (the university) up as high as the heavens, so people will know that al-Qaida lives on,” according to a Sun-News receptionist who took the call.

The caller to the president’s office said the bomb would explode at 9:30 a.m. “in honor of” something, but the man spoke rapidly and his words were unintelligible, NMSU attorney Bruce Kite said.

UPDATE at 3/17/06 12:04:02 pm:

A reader emails with another viewpoint from the University:

1. Only a small, central section of NMSU was evacuated, not the whole campus. Not even most of the campus as the Sun-News claims.

2. No NMSU employee in any capacity has to my knowledge mentioned anything about the caller having an Arabic accent in any campus communications. None of the scuttlebutt on campus, and there is a lot of it, mentioned anything about an Arabic accent. I have not yet verified with Kite’s office whether he actually said what was reported in the Sun-News. The lack of quotes makes me suspect creative interpretation.

3. The prevailing view on my branch of the campus grapevine is that this was a disgruntled library employee or student. There are some exams taking place and Spring Break begins March 20.

UPDATE at 3/17/06 2:00:18 pm:

The Middle Eastern accent is corroborated by this audio report at KRWG: NMSU has Bomb Scare.