These things were in place for three weeks, but were all reported on the same day?
Don't think so... something's up with that.
I don't agree with the posters that are calling this "sedition" or some other thing. But I wouldn't have a problem with a little jail time for hoaxing a city with abandoned bags and packages. False alarms will happen but when they're intentional it is, and should be a crime.
If they were just some hyper sensitive passerby, there was no crime committed by anyone, and we should just learn a lesson.
However, I fear someone is going to rot in prison despite the circumstances of the calls.
There's nothing more dangerous to your freedom than a throughly embarrassed government that can possibly find a way to place blame on you.