VIENNA, Austria – A man who tried to enter the U.S. Embassy in Vienna with a backpack that contained hand grenades, nails and Islamic literature was arrested Monday, Austrian authorities said.
The suspect was taken into police custody around after he was seen dropping the bag and fleeing on foot, Vienna police spokeswoman Michaela Raz said.
No one was injured, but police sealed off the neighborhood as a precaution and shut down or rerouted nearby bus and tramway lines.
The suspect was described only as a 42-year-old Bosnia native who now lives in the province of Lower Austria. Police said they made the arrest a short distance from the embassy building in a neighborhood where security is tight.
Raz said explosives experts were examining the contents of the backpack and would blow it up if deemed necessary.
It was unclear whether the suspect actually entered the embassy. Public broadcaster ORF reported that a metal detector sounded an alarm as the man was passing through security checks and that he fled immediately.
The nature of the Islamic material he allegedly was carrying was unclear.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox