Suspected bomb defused in London

Story Highlights

• British defuse a bomb in central London early Friday morning, police say
• Explosives officers called to examine parked car in The Haymarket
• Car found in busy street in theatre district

• LONDON, England (Reuters) -- British police say they have defused a bomb in central London.
  
• Explosives officers were called to examine a car parked in The Haymarket, a busy street in the heart of central London's theatre district, early on Friday morning, London police said in a statement.
  
• "They discovered what appeared to be a potentially viable explosive device. This was made safe," they said, adding that counter-terrorism officers were investigating.
  
• A police spokesman confirmed the device was a bomb.
  
• The device was found in the week that a new prime minister, Gordon Brown, took office in Britain.
  
• Police responded after a member of the public reported a suspicious vehicle shortly before 2 a.m. (0100 GMT).
  
• The street was sealed off while police investigated and was likely to remain closed for the foreseeable future, they said.
  
• The nearby Piccadilly Circus underground train station was open, but exit restrictions were in place, the police said.
  
• Fifty-two commuters were killed by bombs on London's transport system on July 7, 2005.