Fake bomb man arrested near Turkish PM's office

Turkish police arrested a "mentally unstable" man carrying a fake bomb outside the office of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday, officials said.

Local television stations had initially reported that the suspect was shot and wounded by police but officials and witnesses later said they wrestled him to the ground and only fired shots in the air.

"This individual was carrying a device resembling a bomb but in fact it was not one," Interior Minister Muammer Guler said, describing the man as "mentally unstable". The suspect was taken to a police station where he was interrogated about the incident.

Erdogan was at the headquarters of his ruling Justice and Development Party at the time and not in his office. Security was boosted in the area, and a police helicopter was seen hovering over the building.

Police identified the man as Tugrul Bayir, born in 1961, but gave no further information.

Guler said the man made an anonymous call to police tipping them off about plans for a suicide bombing before arriving on the scene five minutes later.

"He had cables around his waist that looked like an explosive device," Guler said. "We believe that he had psychological problems."