By Hajer M'tiri

PARIS

A major police operation ended in central Paris after a man who claimed to be armed with a bomb and had taken at least three people hostage was taken into custody, according to the police.

"The individual has been arrested and the hostages are out of danger,” tweeted French Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, hailing the professionalism and responsiveness of the police and relief forces, especially the BRI special forces and the Pompiers Paris rescue squad.

Before his arrest, the man had requested that the Iranian Embassy and French government be contacted, reported the website of Le Parisien daily. 

Videos and images posted on social media before the situation’s resolution showed police outside a building in central Paris' Rue des Petites Ecuries.

The motives of the man remain unknown, but police said the situation did not appear to be terrorism related.