Weapons found in car near G8 summit

Canadian police said today they had pulled over a car containing "dangerous materials" near the site where an international summit…

Canadian police said today they had pulled over a car containing "dangerous materials" near the site where an international summit will be held in Toronto this weekend.

Toronto police said there had been sticks - possibly axe handles - and canisters of petrol in the car. The driver was arrested.

"It's an important issue not to bring any dangerous materials into any demonstration situation," the city's police chief said, adding it was possible the driver was not connected in any way to the summits or planned protests in Toronto.

Earlier, several media reports said police had found five gas canisters, a chain saw and a homemade crossbow in the car.

READ MORE

Canada is hosting two international summits this week. Tomorrow and Saturday, leaders from the Group of Eight industrialized nations will meet in Huntsville, Ontario, about two hours' drive north of Toronto. The Group of 20 nations will then gather in Toronto on Saturday and Sunday.

The Muskoka summit, beginning tomorrow, comes just days after a report confirmed that the G8 had
missed 2005 pledges to double aid to the poor world by $10 billion US dollars - or $18 billion when inflation is taken into account - by 2010.