Security scare before G8, G20 summits

TORONTO: Police on heightened alert before a summit of world leaders stopped a car with a large container strapped to its roof and arrested the driver after finding petrol canisters, a chainsaw, a crossbow, arrows and sledgehammers inside.

The vehicle was flagged because it looked suspicious and unsafe, police said, but there was no evidence that the car was related to the arrival of dignitaries this weekend in Canada's largest city.

"There's quite a various amount of items that, used by the wrong person at the wrong time, was enough that we made the arrest," said police Constable Hugh Smith, after the arrest.

Leaders of the world's major industrial countries, representing 85 per cent of the global economy, will meet in Canada starting today for economic summits of the Group of Eight and G20 nations.

The G8 summit of large industrial nations begins in Huntsville, Ontario, three hours north of Toronto. It is followed tomorrow and on Monday by the G20 summit, which brings leaders of an influential grouping of both rich and developing nations to central Toronto. In preparation, Toronto's downtown resembles a fortress with thousands of police. A big steel and concrete fence surrounds several blocks around the summit site. About 19,000 security personnel are on duty for the summits.

Yesterday's arrest was the third ahead of the meeting this week. In another incident, a man and woman were charged with possession of explosives, but authorities said there was no risk to public safety.

Police spokeswoman Jillian Van Acker said that Kristen Peterson, 37, was charged with possession of an explosive device and possession of a weapon. Peterson's partner, computer security expert Byron Sonne, was charged with several offences, including possession of explosives, dangerous weapons and intimidating a justice system participant.

- AP