Austria arrests 2nd man after US embassy incident

VIENNA, Oct 2 (Reuters) Austria detained a man linked arrest of a Bosnian man who tried to enter the US embassy in Vienna carrying an explosives-filled rucksack, the national press agency APA reported today.

The man ran away from the embassy yesterday after his rucksack triggered metal detectors at the entrance. He dropped the bag in the next street and was arrested soon after.

Bomb squad specialists found two devices similar to hand grenades and other explosive material in the rucksack.

Daily newspaper Kurier said the Bosnian, whom it identified as Arsim C., had told police that an acquaintance also living in Tulln, near Vienna, had given him the backpack and told him to take it to the US embassy.

The newspaper cited a policeman as saying Arsim C. made a ''mentally tattered'' impression and was talking ''confused stuff.'' In his backpack was a religious book typically read by Bosnian Muslims during the Ramadan fasting month.

A police spokeswoman confirmed the second arrest to APA, but said there was no evidence that he had instigated the attack.

The spokeswoman was not immediately available for comment.

REUTERS SZ HT1312