"Beware of the trenchcoat Mafia," read the note taped to a bathroom mirror at Fayette County High School Tuesday. This threat, coupled with an earlier Monday warning, and reports of a "hit list" posted on the Internet, sent some students and some parents into mild hysteria this week, prompting school administrators to call in backup from the Fayetteville Police Department.

Two students were suspended from the school and charged with making terroristic threats, officials said. The two were placed in a regional juvenile detention center Thursday.

Fayette County High School Principal Gary Phillips confirmed Thursday that rumors were rampant. "We have increased police presence, and administrators are following every lead and every rumor. We just can't get a particular name or face connected to any of this," he said. "I think they are saying these things in groups to see what the emotional reaction will be."

As of Thursday, the reaction has been increased student absences and uneasiness among teachers. Parents have clogged phone lines at the high school and the Fayette County Board of Education, concerned about their children's safety. Phillips said he has addressed the student and teacher body three times, informing them of actions being taken. "I think this is a safe school," he said.

About a dozen parents volunteered to patrol the halls on Thursday, along with administrators who posted themselves strategically around the 260,000 square foot building. Phillips said he did not order a lock-down, because of the sheer numbers of doors at the facility and the need for students to leave the building for classes. However, bathrooms were locked during class time and reopened during class changes. Similar procedures will be repeated today.

Threats made last week in the aftermath of the Columbine High School tragedy in Littleton, Colo., resulted in the arrests of two Fayette County High students Wednesday night, Phillips said. The students were initially suspended from school for one week, and then arrested by Fayetteville Police and charged with making terrorist threats. They are being held in the Youth Detention Center in Griffin. They allegedly told students that if they thought the bombs were big in Colorado, they didn't need to be in school Monday.

Phillips sent home a six-point letter with students Thursday to dispel some of the rumors, and sort out the misinformation that has been circulating.

Other county schools were taking additional safety measures Thursday with Fayetteville Elementary, Fayetteville Primary and Sandy Creek High locking exterior doors.

Flat Rock Middle School took their security a step further, advising teachers to lock their classroom doors and lock exterior school doors in response to a phone call received in the morning.

According to Principal Eddie Pollard, a student identifying himself as a Sandy Creek student threatened that Sandy Creek High and Flat Rock would be attacked by guns and bombs. "We alerted the Fayette County Sheriff's Department and let the teachers know the code," Pollard said.