U.S. Arlington National Cemetery evacuated over bomb threat

Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-23 03:57:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- The Arlington National Cemetery, a famed U.S. military cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, was on Wednesday evacuated and closed to the public for the rest of the day due to a bomb threat.

The cemetery announced around noon time on the Twitter that it has been evacuated and remain closed to the public for the rest of the day.

However, scheduled funeral services will continue, including a flyover in support of a funeral in the afternoon, it tweeted.

"Arlington National Cemetery officials and @JBMHH emergency services are currently responding to a #BombThreat to the cemetery," the cemetery said in an earlier tweet.

"All families, visitors and employees have been evacuated safely from all public buildings and work areas while the threat is being investigated." the tweet went on.

There are 11 funeral services planned on Wednesday afternoon. The cemetery is still open to funeral attendees and family pass holders.

Bomb technicians were sweeping cars in search of explosives, local reports said.

The cemetery, covering 624 acres just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., conducts between 27 and 30 funeral services each week day and between 6 and 8 services on Saturday, according to its website.

The U.S. Department of the Army, a component of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), runs the cemetery.

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