WASHINGTON: A bomb squad safely destroyed a pressure cooker found in a “suspicious” vehicle parked on the National Mall near the US Capitol and the vehicle’s owner was found and arrested, a US Capitol Police spokeswoman said.

Police said officers on patrol noticed the vehicle on Sunday evening. “Further investigation revealed a pressure cooker, and an odor of gasoline was detected,” police said.

Pressure cookers have been used to create explosive devices. Three people were killed and more than 260 others wounded in April 2013 when two pressure-cooker bombs were set off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Police said the bomb squad destroyed “items of concern in the vehicle, including the pressure cooker”.

Published in Dawn, May 26th, 2015

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