The Czech Republic government has been threatened that a deadly Ebola virus will be released across the country unless they agree to pay anonymous blackmailers with an amount of one million euros in Bitcoin, according to CryptoCoinsNews.
Sent in the form of emails, the dangerous threats were issued directly to the highest offices of the Czech government, and then further extended to the Czech media.
If the demands are not fulfilled, the threat states that the blackmailers have acquired "biological material" from an Ebola patient in Liberia and are willing to spread "the infected material in Prague and other cities."
"If you don't answer this letter, we will send press releases to media and inform people on social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to let them know how negligent the Czech offices are."
However the letters, which instruct officials to pay the ransom in three installments, are not being taken seriously by Czech police, who said that they won't be cooperating with the culprits' demands, UK MailOnline reported.
"We have been investigating the case as a blackmailing," Czech police president deputy Zdenek Laube said in a press conference, who would not confirm whether the first payment, requested to be on Monday, had been made.
"The anonymous individual has blackmailed the Czech Republic by claiming they will spread the Ebola virus in public places. The only intention of the blackmailers is to cause a panic," he said.
Since Bitcoin is an electronic currency which provides blackmailers with the security of remaining anonymous, it is a highly sought-after transaction to receive funds that cannot be frozen or reversed by conventional methods once they have been sent.
Known as a "cryptocurrency," the service provides blackmailers with secure transactions almost anywhere in the world.
For now, it remains unclear whether the blackmailers' demands of being given a second payment on Wednesday and a third after they hand over the infected material will be met.
"Spreading the Ebola virus is not very probable in Czech Republic," Chief sanitary officer Vladimir Valenta said, adding that "possible transport of the virus to the Czech Republic is not very realistic and that the Czech climate excludes massive Ebola spreading."
Czech Prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka also said, "This is a shocking misuse of the current public concern over Ebola in Europe."
"The police are investigating the case. The government doesn't want to underestimate the situation but we also don't want to overestimate it."
Meanwhile, if the culprits are located and found guilty, they could be sentenced up to 12 years in jail.
