Police arrest two men in sniper case: report

10.45pm

WASHINGTON - At least two men have been arrested in connection with a serial sniper stalking the suburbs around Washington, local media reported today.

The sniper is thought to be reponsible for killing 10 people since October 2.

One of them the men arrested was John Allen Muhammad, also known as John Allen Williams, who police had said they were seeking in connection with the case.

Washington television station WUSA reported that two men sought for questioning in connection with the sniper shootings were found sleeping in a dark-colored Chevrolet Caprice at a rest stop along an interstate highway at about 8.30pm (NZ time) in Frederick County, Maryland, about 80km northwest of Washington.

It said the arrests occurred without incident. There was no word on whether any weapons were found.

Montgomery County, Maryland, police chief Charles Moose, the head of a multi-agency task force investigating the sniper had announced only about four hours before the arrest that police were searching for Muhammad and an unidentified minor.

He also said police were looking for a burgundy or blue 1990 Chevrolet Caprice with New Jersey number plates.

"We believe that Mr Muhammad may have information material to our investigation," Moose said, adding that Muhammad could be with an unidentified juvenile.

Local television said he was travelling with his 17-year-old stepson.

Maryland State Police would not offer any details about the incident, but told Reuters they expected to hold a news conference tomorrow.

An 11km stretch of Interstate-70, a major highway leading from Baltimore, Maryland, to Pennsylvania, was blocked off for hours before dawn today amid major police activity.

A law enforcement source told Reuters that the road closing was in connection with the sniper investigation and that there had not been a shooting, but would give no other details.

Moose had said Muhammad was charged with violations of federal firearms laws not related to the sniper killings that started on October 2 and have cast a pall of fear over the Washington metropolitan area.

"A strong word of caution. Do not assume that the allegation, do not assume from this allegation, that John Allen Muhammad, also known as John Allen Williams, is involved in any of the shootings we are investigating," he said.

The sniper has shot each of his victims with a single bullet, usually from a distance, and dodged police dragnets set up within minutes of the attacks. The 10 dead and three wounded have included blacks and whites, men and women, young and old.

- REUTERS

Further reading:
The Washington sniper

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