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White House briefly evacuated after plane spotted above

The White House was briefly evacuated as a precautionary measure after an unidentified aircraft was spotted circling in the restricted airspace over the executive mansion.

The evacuation was ordered on Wednesday night just after President George W Bush returned to the building from a Republican fund-raising event at the Washington Convention Centre.

An agency report quoting senior law enforcement official said a plane headed towards Reagan National Airport had not made radio contact with the control towers.

The plane later changed direction, prompting the Secret Service to end the evacuation.

Within 15 minutes of the evacuation, staff was allowed to return to the building.

It was the first evacuation of the White House since September 11, when the building was thought to be a target of one of the hijacked jetliners used in the attack on New York and Washington.

Agencies

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