GENEVA, Feb. 7 (Xinhuanet) -- Swiss police said Monday that the three intruders in the hostage crisis at the Spanish consulate in the Swiss capital of Bern might still be inside the building.

    The three hostages have either escaped or freed by the police, but "it is not clear whether the hostage takers are currently in the building," Bern city police said in a statement.

    Earlier reports from Spain said intruders have left the consulate and the hostage situation was over.

    "We assume (that they are still in the building). We are actingas though they are," Berne cantonal police spokesman Juerg Mosimann told reporters.

    The police, via a loudspeaker, ordered the intruders to leave the building with their hands on their heads.

    The police statement said the three unidentified hostage takerswere armed with a knife and a firearm.

    The incident occured around 8 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Monday when the intruders forcefully entered the consulate.

    Later, police sealed off the Kirchenfeld neighborhood where theconsulate is located and mobilized a special task force to deal with the hostage seizure.

    The Spanish Foreign Ministry said it did not suspect Islamic terrorism was the motive and the intruders appeared headed for theembassy safe. Enditem