Australian freed after bomb drama

3 August 2011 Last updated at 11:15 ET

Australian police have freed a ng woman after 10 hours of tense efforts to deal with a suspected bomb that was reportedly strapped to her body.

The 18-year-old called police at 14:30 (04:30 GMT) to report a suspect device at her home in Sydney’s Mosman suburb.

She was reunited with her parents just after midnight, officers said.

The police gave few details of the operation, refusing to comment on media reports that the suspected bomb was part of an extortion attempt.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Murdoch told reporters it was “too early to say” what the motive was, but he added that the woman had had previous contact with the person who planted the device.

“We want to get our hands on who’s done this,” he said.

Mr Smith said the woman was feeling good, but would be “uncomfortable for a little while to come”.

Bomb experts were still examining the device, which was still intact, he added. It was not clear if the device was a viable bomb.

Emergency crews earlier evacuated nearby houses in Mosman, which is one of Sydney’s wealthiest suburbs.

Several streets were cordoned off, and ambulances and fire crews rushed to the area.

Send r pictures and videos to rpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7725 100 100 (International). If have a large file can upload here.

Read the terms and conditions

— ’re ’s , . : A ‘Malign Intellectual Subculture’ – George Monbiot Smears Chomsky, Herman, Peterson, Pilger And Media Lens.