Passengers were evacuated from a Dutch airport terminal when a British man was arrested after reportedly shouting bomb threats at a check-in queue.
People at Terminal 3 of Amsterdam's Schiphol airport were evacuated for around 30 minutes as the 29-year-old man was spread-eagled on the floor and detained by police.
Dutch Military Police spokesman Eric Vermeulen told the Guardian: "The man was walking through Departure Hall 3 when passengers heard him shout out several times that he had a bomb. They were concerned enough to inform the police, who subdued him and searched him with explosives search dogs.
"We have established that this was a false alarm and the man is the only suspect. We now want to find out why he decided to cause a false alarm." Some officials consider that he might have been acting as a decoy or distraction to enable another covert act to be completed, but for some reason aborted.
Reports say that the man shouted out that he was carrying a bomb, and pictures on social media show a man lying on the floor as officers point rifles at him.
Muhammad Syafiee (@OperationSyaf) tweeted shortly after the incident at 8am on Friday: "Schiphol Airport on lockdown after some scare or alleged gunshots were heard. We actually ran for our lives."
A spokeswoman at the airport said: "The 29-year-old British man was arrested at around 8am.
"It was only the one check-in line that had to be evacuated for maximum half an hour - if that. Security control remained open as it is located further away.
"He was taken away by the police."
Dutch Military Police spokesman Eric Vermeulen told the Guardian: "The man was walking through Departure Hall 3 when passengers heard him shout out several times that he had a bomb. They were concerned enough to inform the police, who subdued him and searched him with explosives search dogs.
"We have established that this was a false alarm and the man is the only suspect. We now want to find out why he decided to cause a false alarm."
The spokesman said the incident lasted around 20 to 30 minutes and confirmed the arrested man was travelling on a British passport.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We are liaising with the local authorities following the arrest of a British national at Schiphol airport."
Sources: PA,CNS, Guardian, Observer
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