Man with explosives arrested outside Swiss parliament

Police in Switzerland's capital evacuated Parliament and related offices Tuesday after a man in a bulletproof vest was arrested near one of its entrances and found to be bearing explosives. Berne police said in a statement that in the early afternoon, “federal security staffers noticed a man at the southern entrance of the Parliament building whose appearance — he was wearing a bulletproof vest and weapon holster — and behavior were suspicious.”“During a body check that followed, a rapid test turned up explosives,” the statement said.The statement did not provide any detail on the explosives.

The suspect, who was not identified, was undergoing physical and mental exams, the statement said. Federal prosecutors and police opened a criminal investigation. There was no immediate indication about a possible motive.Federal Square outside the parliament building and nearby streets were cordoned off for several hours as police dispatched security teams which included fire squads, de-mining experts, a police dog and drones to inspect the abandoned car. The restrictions were later lifted as the vehicle did not present any danger, the police said.