Oklahoma fed building area to reopen after bomb threat

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - One suspect was arrested on Wednesday after the federal building in Oklahoma City was evacuated because of a bomb threat, the FBI said.

Several city blocks had also been closed off but local media reported that the area was to be reopened to the public late on Wednesday night.

The FBI said in a statement the suspect, Roderick Robinson, 30, of Oklahoma City, entered the federal building and was told he could not proceed further without going through a security check. He then left two notes with security personnel along with the backpack he was carrying, and left the building.

"The notes stated there was a bomb in the backpack and in a car parked next to the building," the FBI said.

Experts had checked the bag and car for explosives and the local KOCO TV news reported that a car believed to belong to the suspect had been towed away late Wednesday evening.

The current federal building in downtown Oklahoma City stands near the site of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, which was attacked in a 1995 bombing that killed 168 people. Aimed at the federal government, it was the deadliest act of domestic terrorism ever on U.S. soil.

(Reporting by Ben Fenwick, writing by Ed Stoddard, editing by Chris Wilson)