Brazilian police detonate backpack near Olympic cycling finish line

Brazilian bomb squad detonated an unattended backpack near the finish line of the cycling race yesterday amid tight security for the Olympics.

Security forces stepped up surveillance near the finish line of yesterday's cycling race. Photo: Reuters

The area near Copacabana beach shook yesterday afternoon after a loud explosion, witnesses said they had seen bomb disposal agents approaching the area, Reuters reported.

According to a spokesman for Brazil's public security agency, officials believe the bag may belong to a homeless person, but regulations require them to destroy any unclaimed items.

The explosion occurred at around 1:45 p.m. local time. Bomb squad members have detonated several bags left in public places in recent days to control security in Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil has arrested 12 people suspected of links to the Islamic State (IS) but insists the risk of an attack at the Olympics is minimal. The country has deployed some 85,000 police and military personnel to ensure security, nearly double the number deployed for the 2012 London Games.

The 2016 Olympics took place in Rio from August 5 to August 21, with the participation of more than 10,000 athletes from 206 countries.

According to VNE