Part of downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has been evacuated because of a report of a device found on a Greyhound bus making a stop between Bangor and NYC. So far I've seen 4 different reports on this, all 4 with different details. Here's what FOX has so far:
New Hampshire Police Investigate Bomb Threat on Bus
Associated Press
DEVELOPING: Police and fire officials are blocking streets in Portsmouth, N.H., around a Greyhound bus after a man reportedly threatened he had a bomb.
The state police explosives disposal unit has responded to the threat Thursday. Police evacuated residents and buildings in the area, including a Hilton hotel where an alarm sounded. A parking garage also has been closed.
The bus had left Bangor, Maine, and was en route to New York City. It was unclear whether the bus was occupied.
CNN has a bit more information on their news site:
Police said the area around Hanover, High and Market streets was closed.
News 9 reported that 17 passengers were still on the bus, but the bus driver had left the bus. There have been reports of a possible hostage situation, but Portsmouth Capt. Mike Schwartz said he wasn't sure why the passengers hadn't left the bus.
A SWAT team was also at the scene, and several businesses in the area were evacuated. The FAA also instituted a 3-mile no-fly zone around the area.
The Associated Press reported that the state explosives disposal unit and FBI were also at the scene.
Despite the heavy law enforcement presence in the area, police were set well back from the vehicle. Yellow caution tape blocked off the streets.
Gov. John Lynch's office said he went to the Emergency Operations Center in Concord and has been advised of the situation.
More Details...
Sources told WBZ's Karen Anderson that a man on the bus was talking on a cell phone in what sounded like Arabic and English.
A woman apparently heard him say something about "a bomb is on the bus."
The woman told the bus driver, who then pretended there was a mechanical problem with the bus and pulled over in Portsmouth. The driver then called police.
Police have closed streets and evacuated businesses, including a Hilton hotel in the busy downtown area.
Two SWAT teams and the FBI are also on the scene.
This could be serious -- or the guy could have been saying "There's a bum on the bus" and was misheard. (It's happened before.) I am hoping this does not turn out to be a hostage situation.
UPDATED: Apparently the passengers are now off the bus. This WMUR site seems to have the most up-to-date coverage.
8 comments:
Okay , if they are going after buses starting off in Bgr Maine, every small town mall is FUCKED.
Bangor is 26000 people. I bet there are less than 350 muslims and most of them are at the University in Orono. It's hard for me to imagine this can be another Faisal Shitbird.
Maybe this is a nutjob for real angry about the weather last summer.
From WMUR Manchester
"Passengers are now getting off a bus that was stopped in Portsmouth after reports of a suspicious device on board. The bus driver left the bus at one point, but 17 passengers remained on board. Police said they had not been told to stay on the bus, and they weren't sure why no one else had come off.
About two hours after the bus was stopped, the passengers finally began to get off. They exited the bus with their hands over their heads."
Very strange ...but this does not sound like the profile of action of practiced and trained killers of any religion.
This may turn out to be just a mishearing of a cell phone conversation, but they obviously took it very seriously. That the passengers are now off the bus is a good sign, however.
I don't discredit this story and he may indeed have a device. And people could be hurt all the same.
But when Islam/AL Qaida/Taliban/whoever the group dujour is strikes they are not going to threaten or warn us first. They will just let it blow.
This is likely some disgruntled nutjob. And if so, we all know who will get the blame
Well, the latest is that everyone had to come off the bus with their hands up except the suspect. Police are talking to him on the bus. Whatever is going on, apparently they take it fairly seriously.
Oh, absolutely they should take it seriously. I just don't think it's the usual suspects.
The latest I've read is that everyone is off the bus but one guy and they are talking with him -- and have sent out for an interpreter. If I'd known it was going to drag on this long I'd have got in the car and drove up there.
Whatever it is, law enforcement in
Portsmouth is taking it real serious but little information seems to be getting out.
UPDATE: They are sending in one of those "bomb robot" thingys to check out the bus. Source is http:www.wbztv.com/
Far as I can tell the suspect is still on the bus and being questioned. Still getting minimal media coverage, but what with the Greek/Wall Street financial hoohah that's not surprising.
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