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Suspected Bombs Disrupt DC Subway
Several bomb threats in Northeast Washington shut down portions of the Metro rail system Friday, causing a ripple effect that affected thousands of passengers across the region. Service on the Orange line was suspended between the Eastern Market and Minnesota Avenue stations and the Blue Line was closed between Eastern Market and Benning Road about 8:30 a.m., after police received a call from an unidentified man claiming several explosive devices had been placed near a playground at Benning Road and 34th Street, Northeast. Authorities - including the FBI - were called to the scene, where they found a suspicious package and neutralized it using a water cannon. Tests on the device were continuing. Police offered no description of the packageâs contents. Later, police said a second suspicious object was found a short distance away in the 500 block of Oklahoma Avenue, Northeast. That object was taken to the RFK Stadium parking lot to be opened from a safe distance. Authorities put out a lookout for a vehicle Friday afternoon - believing the driver might have information about the bomb threats. The vehicle was described as a C-10 pickup truck with district license plates AQ-0220. Police provided no information about the color of the truck. "AQ?" Meantime, authorities conducted a block-by-block search in parts of Northeast as they tried to determine whether any additional suspicious packages were in the area. Gentile said a caller had indicated there might be as many as three packages. "Itâs unclear as to what was planted," he said. The search included a number of law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI. Metro officials said the rail closings have had a ripple effect all the way into Virginia. Edited for details of how to get home tonight from downtown Posted by: VAMark 2003-12-12 |
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