Eiffel Tower evacuated over bomb scare

The Eiffel Tower and its surroundings in Paris were evacuated after an anonymous caller, claiming to be member of terror outfit al Qaeda, said there was a bomb kept nearby.

Updated on: Dec 11, 2011, 17:04:10 IST

IANS | By HT Correspondent, Paris

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The Eiffel Tower and its surroundings in Paris were evacuated on Friday evening after an anonymous caller, claiming to be member of terror outfit al Qaeda, said there was a bomb kept nearby.

Police received a call around 5pm from the man, Xinhua reported citing local broadcaster Europe1.

Around 2,000 visitors were asked to quit the 324-metre-tall tower, but police did not find any explosive as described in the phone call.

In 1995, two explosions took place in Paris, causing several casualties.

Since September 2010, Paris has been hit by fake bomb alerts -- two alerts on the Eiffel Tower, one alert at the Champs Elysees Avenue and another at the Saint-Michel railway station.

The Eiffel Tower built in 1889 is one of the world's most popular tourist attractions.

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