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November 30, 2007

Alert: 2 Clinton volunteers held hostage in N.H.

ROCHESTER, N.H. - A man claiming to have a bomb was holding one or more hostages at Hillary Clinton's campaign office today, police said. The man had what appeared to be a bomb strapped to himself, said Bill Shaheen, a top state campaign official. The two hostages were volunteers, Shaheen said.

"We are in close contact with state and local authorities and are acting at their direction," Clinton said in a statement. "We will release additional details as appropriate."

The man ordered the hostages onto the floor and then released a mother and her baby, said State Police Maj. Michael Hambrook. Two campaign volunteers were still being held, said Bill Shaheen, a top state campaign official.

Witness Lettie Tzizik told television station WMUR of Manchester that she spoke to the woman shortly after she was released and that she was crying, holding the infant.

"She said, 'You need to call 911. A man has just walked into the Clinton office, opened his coat and showed us a bomb strapped to his chest with duct tape," Tzizik said.

Clinton was scheduled to give an address at the Democratic National Committee meeting in Vienna, Va., Friday afternoon, but DNC Chairman Howard Dean announced from the podium that Clinton would not speak.

Get the latest from the Associated Press ...

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 3:04 PM | Permalink

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