Crime Desk - UPDATE 9:35AM - ROADS NOW OPENED TRAFFIC MOVING NORMALLY IN REGENT STREET, OXFORD CIRCUS
Regent Street is still closed to traffic following a terrorist alert, when a man at midnight entered the Accessorize store on Regent Street claiming to have explosive devices.Regent Street traffic is still disrupted and no traffic is being allowed through to pass.
Police were called after 00.20hrs an alarm activation and on arrival officers saw a man inside the building purporting to have an explosive device.
Officers surrounded the building and cleared the area while attempts were made to make contact with the man.
At 05.15hrs, following negotiation, a man left the building voluntarily and was detained. He is currently in custody at a central London police station.
Enquiries into the incident continue and police cordons remain in place at this time.
This latest incident is not being linked to any international terrorist groups, but security services in the UK raised the terrorist threat level to "severe" with intelligence pointing to Mumbai style attacks in London during Christmas. Last week police officers were seen with automatic weapons at "transport hubs" following intelligence that Islamic extremist groups would be targeting them in London.
Death toll rises to 549 in Brazil floodingThe death toll from flooding in Rio de Janeiro state rose to 549 Saturday, Brazil's official news agency reported. Rescuers have not been able to reach some hard-hit areas and many more people are feared dead.
