CIA SWOOP ON MIDLAND SCHOOL; Boys sent 'we'll kill Bush' e-mail from classroom to White House From Washington to Cannock ... how the CIA traced death threat back to Midland schoolboys.

Byline: TONY LARNER Chief Reporter

CIA AGENTS launched an international operation after two Midland schoolboys sent e-mails threatening to assassinate new US president George W Bush.

The Sunday Mercury can reveal today that the Central Intelligence Agency teamed up with Britain's Special Branch after the sinister messages arrived at the official White House website.

Within a few days, the US cops had used computer wizardry to track down the 15-year-old 'assassins' to their Staffordshire classroom.

The shell-shocked teenagers, who were visited at home by Special Branch officers, escaped prosecution and suspension after claiming that the e-mails were a joke.

But last night a CIA spokeswoman warned: 'We take all threats of this kind seriously.'

The incredible drama began when the boys, who have not been named, fired off a series of e-mails from a class computer at Blake High School, Cannock.

The electronic messages made threats about killing President George W Bush. who was inaugurated last month.

They also included lewd references about his twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, 19.

A friend of the pupils, who asked not to be named, said: 'They sent the e-mails as a joke and never thought any more about it.

'They even used someone else's e-mail address so they would not get into trouble.

'But police contacted the school and they were able to say which computer was used and when.

'The two of them quickly admitted what they had done because the evidence was overwhelming.

'However, while the school just gave them a ticking off, Special Branch gave them a real scare.

'Officers came out to their houses and told them what big trouble they had put themselves in. I don't think they realised the power of the internet - they certainly won't be sending any e-mails to the White House again.'

Heather Bowman, the school's headmistress, said: 'This seems to be a prank that went wrong.

Investigating

'We received a call from Special Branch saying they were investigating the sending of threatening e-mails. They said they had been contacted by the CIA.

'I think the pupils thought they could get away with it because they never used their real names.

'But the CIA could tell which school computer was used and when - to the exact second.

'After a few simple checks, we knew who had been at the keyboard. We have not suspended the two pupils but they have had a good talking to. I think they were very surprised by the results of their actions.

'As a school, we monitor all our pupils when they are on the internet. This is a lesson to us all that it should not be misused.'

A Special Branch spokesman said: 'I can confirm we made enquiries at a school in Cannock, Staffordshire, after allegations that threatening e-mails had been sent to the White House in America.

'The boys involved were spoken to but no further action was taken.'

Anya Guilsher, spokeswoman for the CIA in Washington, said: 'I cannot comment about this case.

'However, our job is to collect information about any perceived foreign threat to national security.

'Every threat made against the president is treated seriously.'

CAPTION(S):

E-MAIL DEATH THREAT ... US president George W Bush PRANK ... e-mails were traced back to Cannock TRANSATLANTIC LINK ...it only took the click of a button to send the e-mails threatening to assassinate George W Bush from Blake High School in Cannock to the White House LOGGING ON ... the White House website that received the threat