Traffic is a mess and subway service is delayed after at least 5 suspicious packages were found in Boston:

A series of suspicious packages attributed to a giant hoax paralyzed downtown Boston Wednesday, just hours before evening rush hour.

Bomb units scrambled to investigate four suspicious devices reported almost simultaneously throughout the city. The reports forced the temporary shutdowns of part of an interstate, a key inbound roadway and a bridge between Boston and Cambridge.

Police said four calls, which all came in around 1 p.m., reported suspicious devices at the Boston University Bridge, the Longfellow Bridge, the Tufts-New England Medical Center and a major intersection at Columbus and Stuard streets.

As of 3:30 p.m. ET, three of the devices were deemed to not be dangerous.

The reports came just hours after authorities detonated a suspicious device at subway station located under Interstate 93 in Boston.

One device, deemed not active, was found inside an administration building at the medical center and those inside were given the all-clear.

It “looked like some tubing, not an active device,” said spokeswoman Brooke Hynes.

Subway service across the Longfellow Bridge, between Boston and Cambridge, was suspended temporarily.

Officials told FOX News that there seemed to be no imminent security threat to Boston and that the items seem to be part of a prank. At least one of the devices was described to FOX News as a computer keyboard, to which a picture of someone flipping the viewer off was taped.

A spokesman for the MBTA also said subway service was allowed to resume over the Longfellow Bridge.

It appears to be some sort of prank or hoax at this time. If they find the person responsible they should toss him from the top of one of the towers on the Longfellow Bridge.

Update: This story just took a bizarre twist:

A suspicious package alert that shut down downtown Boston Wednesday afternoon was actually part of an elaborate marketing campaign by the Cartoon Network to spark interest in its “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” show.

After state and local officials said they were launching an investigation into a series of “suspicious packages” found around the city, the Cartoon Network released a statement saying the packages were magnetic lights that pose no danger.

“They are part of an outdoor marketing campaign in 10 cities in support of Adult Swim’s animated television show Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” the statement said.

“They have been in place for two to three weeks in Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. Parent company Turner Broadcasting is in contact with local and federal law enforcement on the exact locations of the billboards. We regret that they were mistakenly thought to pose any danger.”

[snip]

“Aqua Teen Hunger Force” is one show on the “Adult Swim” block of adult programming shown on the Cartoon Network.

According to the Cartoon Network, the show is an animated comedy about three detectives in the shape of human-sized food products that live together in a rental house in New Jersey.

“No matter who did this, I think there’s probably enough evidence I think the Boston Police Department, the bureau, state police — everybody will probably get together … I wouldn’t be surprised to see someone charged in this. This is an extremely serious situation,” former FBI Director Bill Gavin told FOX News during the investigation.

“Whoever did this — whether it be kids or adults — if they think it’s funny, I think they’ll soon learn it’s not that much of a humorous situation.”

How can anyone be that stupid in this day and age? I still say we throw them from the Longfellow bridge. If not, they definitely should be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.