The White House press room cleared over telephone bomb scare

The Secret Service explained at a news conference that the White House press room was cleared in mid-briefing Tuesday afternoon after a bomb threat to the press room was telephoned to the Metropolitan Police Department.  The West Wing was also cleared. The briefing was resumed about half an hour later after the room was swept and no bomb found. Officials believed the same person called in a threat at the Capitol and the White House. Hours before, the Senate Dirksen Office Building was cleared over a suspicious package. An all-clear signal was later given. The reporters were taken to the Old Executive Office Building to wait for re-admission to the press room.