Capitol Clear After Bomb Scare

In a bizarre incident outside the U.S. Capitol Monday afternoon, police snuck up on a man dressed in black before blasting his luggage with water guns.

Despite no word on what was contained in the suspicious suitcases, authorities have allowed evacuated Senate staff back into the Capitol and normal traffic and business have resumed in the area.

Police tackled and forcibly dragged away the man, who had been carrying two suitcases and apparently had stationed himself in front of the west side of the Capitol.

The midday incident, which occurred during one of Washington's busiest tourist times, the annual flowering of cherry blossoms throughout the city, had forced police to evacuate that side of the Capitol in fear of a possible explosion. The Senate side of the building was evacuated, reports CBS News Congressional Correspondent Bob Fuss. People on the House side were told to stay away from windows facing West and a large area around the Capitol also was cleared, including the area where tourists line up for tours.

Police, some armed with assault rifles, moved in slowly behind the man, who faced the Capitol from a plaza below its west entrance. From a crouch behind the wall, officers sprang up and ran full tilt at the man, who never moved.

He was tackled by two policemen and dragged to an ambulance. Police walked the man away from the scene without putting him in the ambulance. They left the suitcases behind.

Police later X-rayed the suitcases and detonated them with what they called a "water jet disruptor." A boom was heard, but it was not immediately known whether the suitcases exploded or the sound came from the device.

Some spectators applauded as police dragged the man away.

CBS News Correspondent Jim Stewart reports that the man was Asian and did not appear to understand the security guards when they questioned him. There was never any actual threat.

Before the standoff ended, Capitol police spokesman Michael Lauer said the man had said nothing to police.

Some of the most powerful officials in Congress have offices on the west side of the Capitol, among them House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.