Police arrest man sought in US sniper case - report
( 2002-10-24 17:18 ) (7 )

Maryland police arrested on Thursday the man who police had said was "armed and dangerous" and wanted in connection with the three-week search for a sniper who has killed 10 people and wounded three in and around the US capital, Washington's WUSA-TV reported.

WUSA said, citing law enforcement sources, that John Allen Muhammad, also known as John Allen Williams, was one of two men found sleeping in a car at a rest stop along a Maryland highway and taken into custody by Maryland State Police.

Maryland State Police would not offer any details about the incident, but told Reuters they expected to hold a news conference sometime early on Thursday morning.

"A federal arrest warrant has been issued for John Allen Muhammad, also known as John Allen Williams, a black male, 42 years of age," Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Chief Charles Moose, heading the multi-agency task force hunting the sniper, had told reporters late on Wednesday.

"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 reported that Muhammad was traveling with his stepson.