The 35-year-old man was arrested following an incident where a suspicious package was found in Harewood Street in the city centre at about 8.40am.
A cordon was put in place and nearby premises were evacuated until army bomb disposal experts were able to declare the item safe.
The man arrested is currently in custody.
Chief Superintendent Paul Money, Leeds District Commander, said: "We always treat any incident of this nature very seriously, and we quickly put appropriate measures in place to keep people safe while this incident was dealt with.
"Enquiries have led to the arrest of a suspect and we hope people can take suitable reassurance from that development as we continue to progress the investigation."
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