Driver claiming to have bomb causes alert at the White House

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By BNO NEWS

A man has been taken into custody near the White House after he drove up to a security checkpoint and reportedly claimed to have a bomb inside his vehicle. A search of the vehicle is now underway but details are still limited.

The incident happened at around 11:05 p.m. ET on Saturday when the man drove up to a checkpoint near 15th Street NW and E Street NW, which is just outside the White House. The driver of the car claimed to have a bomb inside the vehicle.

“Upon contact with the individual, U.S. Secret Service Uniform Division Officers detained the individual and declared his vehicle suspicious,” the Secret Service said in a statement. The vehicle was still being checked on early Sunday morning to make sure there are no explosives inside.

As a result of the incident, security at the White House has been increased and several streets in the area have been closed. Photos from the area showed a large number of emergency services, including fire trucks and hazardous materials units.

President Donald Trump is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and is not affected by the security alert.

The name of the suspect or his possible motive for making the threat was not immediately known. “Due to the fact that this is an ongoing criminal investigation, the Secret Service will not provide any further details at this time,” the statement added.

Saturday’s bomb threat follows a series of security alerts earlier this month. Most notably, a man climbed over a fence at the White House and was able to walk on the grounds of the White House for 16 minutes before being taken into custody. He was not able to enter the building itself.

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