Roads around Pentagon closed after "suspicious person" held

Several roads were shut down around the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Defence Department just outside Washington DC, after a "suspicious person" was held overnight near the building and concerns were raised about a car parked nearby, dpa reported.

"Because of the proximity of the vehicle towards the Pentagon, it was felt appropriate to handle this as a more suspicious type situation," police spokesman Dan Stessel told reporters.

The car is currently being investigated by a bomb squad. Broadcaster NBC reported a suspicious device in the car. Other squads were doing sweeps around the Pentagon. So far, there was no confirmation of any discovery of a bomb or other dangerous device.

The person in question was found in Arlington Cemetery, which is next to the Pentagon, after hours. Based on post-arrest interviews, authorities said it became "important" to find his vehicle, reported the Washington Post.

Along with fears of a bomb, the inspection had snarled rush hour traffic into Washington for commuters from the state of Virginia, to the south.