Evanston and Wilmette police searched Purple Line trains and stations Tuesday afternoon after receiving a false bomb threat from an unknown caller in Chicago.

Someone called 911 from 31 E. Balbo Ave. in Chicago at about 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday and said a bomb was going to go off in 10 minutes on Linden Avenue in Wilmette, Chicago Police Department spokesman Carlos Herrera said.

Chicago Police relayed the threat to Evanston and Wilmette police, who searched CTA platforms in their cities, Herrera said.

Service between Purple Line stops at Linden and Howard Street was suspended until about 5:15 p.m.

While the system was down, an extra CTA bus carried Purple Line passengers between the Howard and Linden stations. The bus was scheduled to run until about 5:45 p.m., said Anne McCarthy of Chicago Police.

Chicago Police and Evanston Police Department worked together on the situation because Howard Street borders the city limits of Chicago.

— Scott Gordon anD Elizabeth Kirk

Activists ask Evanston to pass resolution on Iraq war

Evanston pacifist group Neighbors for Peace has asked the Evanston City Council to pass a resolution urging the United States to immediately withdraw all its troops from Iraq.

“Once again, the federal government of the United States is involved in the destruction of another country and we ask you to withdraw,” group member Irwin Levinson said Monday night during the citizen comment part of the council’s meeting at the Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave.

Levinson gave aldermen a copy of a proposed resolution he wrote.

Two other group members asked the council for the resolution.

Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste (2nd) asked that the Human Services Committee of the council discuss the resolution in August.

Evanston was the first city in Illinois to pass a resolution asking Congress to repeal the USA Patriot Act. Neighbors for Peace members were among the May 2003 resolution’s many advocates. Jean-Baptiste voted for the resolution.

Neighbors for Peace also sent members to anti-war protests in Chicago and New York City in spring 2003.

— Scott Gordon