Tipoff leads to massive search for bomb at Helsinki harbours - nothing found
No indication of link with athletics meet
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A tipoff to officials at the Port of Helsinki of possible explosives on a truck on a car ferry proved unfounded on Sunday. The Estonian-based tipoff led to a massive search operation on Saturday night and early Sunday, in which Helsinki’s South and West Harbours were sealed off. No sign of explosives was found.
On Saturday evening, Estonian police informed colleagues in Finland that a truck with a load containing explosives would be arriving in Helsinki. The tipoff included information on where the material would be located, and the time of the scheduled arrival.
Police took the information seriously and launched extensive inspections in the harbour.
The intensified searches began at 9:30 on Saturday evening, extending until 1:00 in the morning.
Police and customs officials, as well as Frontier Guard personnel, inspected 16 vehicles on two ships in Helsinki. Two other ships were searched already in Tallinn before departure for Helsinki.
Harbour operations were back to normal on Sunday.
Passengers criticised what they saw as the poor passing on of information. They were not aware of the search for explosives, and were left to wonder why their departure was taking so long. Others were left with no information on why passengers and crew were ordered off the ship.
Police said that announcements were made in the harbour terminal buildings, but that many passengers had already moved out-of-doors.
Police officers on foot tried to inform passengers outside the terminals. "We probably did not reach everyone. In the early stages we were also careful not to generate unnecessary panic, because this was not an actual bomb threat", said Mika Pöyry of the Helsinki police.
There were no indications that the situation had anything to do with the ongoing athletics World Championships, which began on Saturday morning at the Olympic Stadium. .
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 8.8.2005 - TODAY |
 Tipoff leads to massive search for bomb at Helsinki harbours - nothing found
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