A man suspected of having explosives was detained outside of the Swiss parliament as the capital was evacuated. A man carrying explosives and donning a bulletproof vest was spotted in front of the Swiss parliament building in Switzerland.
According to a statement released by the Berne police department, “federal security staffers noticed a man at the southern entrance of the Swiss parliament building in the early afternoon whose appearance – he was wearing a bulletproof vest and weapon holster – and behaviour were suspicious.” This information was included in the statement.
A man with explosives in Swiss parliament:
According to the statement, an explosive device was discovered during a subsequent body search that involved a quick examination.
The statement did not offer any specifics regarding the explosives that were found.
According to the statement, the individual who was being investigated was now receiving both a medical and mental examination.
An investigation into possible illegal activity was initiated by federal prosecutors and police. There was no obvious clue that could point to a plausible motivation at the time.
Federal Square and the surrounding streets were cordoned off by the police for several hours while they dispatched security teams to investigate an abandoned car that had been associated with the suspect. These security teams included fire squads and de-mining experts, and they were supported by a police dog and drones. Federal Square is located in front of the ornate Swiss parliament building.
According to the statement made by the police, the security measures were relaxed once it was determined that the car did not pose any threat.
Although there have been very few incidents of extremist violence in Switzerland, the federal police have issued frequent warnings about the possibility of such incidents occurring.
Buildings located within the perimeter of the security cordon were also cleared out.