(VO/MV/NG) The police have confirmed details on Saturday afternoon's bomb scare, which took place in Luxembourg City centre at Hotel Simoncini, near the Knuedler.

The presence of a suspicious woman had alerted the hotel staff. Details led them to believe she could have been wearing explosives.

Shortly after the phone call, the police stopped the woman and took her into custody. Police subsequently checked the suspicious package.

The hotel was evacuated and a search was conducted by special bomb disposal units.

The suspicious package contained no explosive elements. According to the first details of the investigation, the woman arrested suffered from mental disorders.

A psychiatric evaluation is ongoing.

How the event unfolded

The bomb scare at the Hotel Simoncini came to an end around 7pm. The bomb disposal team found a suspicious package and police took an individual into custody around 3:30pm.

Police from Grevenmacher, Esch-sur-Alzette and Luxembourg City were first dispatched to the scene around 3:30pm. Special bomb disposal units arrived later.

For three hours the bomb squad worked inside the hotel. A suspicious package was checked, but what it contained is still unclear. The investigation continues.

Timeline

6:20pm The bomb disposal operation finishes and security forces reduce the perimeter.For now, police do not wish to communicate, but an investigation is ongoing.

5:50pm Christmas markets are not closed.

5:45pm Hotel Simoncini has 36 rooms which are searched.

5:35pm The rue Notre-Dame, from the boulevard Royal, is closed to traffic. The Knuedler underground parking is no longer accessible to vehicles. The little part of the street between rue Notre-Dame and boulevard Roosevelt (access to the Christmas markets near the Gëlle Fra) is closed to pedestrians.

5:30pm A resident in the area saw police take away an individual in the secure area in the vicinity of 3:30pm.

5:10pm According to police, the threat happened at 3:30pm at the hotel, and it was evacuated immediately.

5:00pm Clients and personnel are safe and evacuated around 4pm. The same has been arranged by security forces.

4:55pm The police are also far from the hotel; only the bomb disposal team remains on site and in and out of the hotel.

4:50pm A police officer confirms the bomb threat, and the security perimeter is widened.

4:43pm Two police officers of the bomb disposal unit emerge from the hotel and return with two black cases which they had retrieved from trucks.

4:30pm The police enter the Hotel Simoncini heavily armed.

4:25pm Two trucks of the special police unit arrive on site. Police are wearing masks and are heavily armed; they arrive from boulevard Roosevelt and go to rue Notre-Dame.

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