By Xinhua
Canberra : Australian police detonated a pipe bomb found near the venue of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) energy ministers' meeting in Darwin, capital city of Australia's Northern Territory.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio reported that a Darwin council worker was sifting through garbage at East Point Reserve, about 5 km from the city center, when he found the device made of metal pipe about 10 cm long and 3 cm in diameter Monday afternoon.
He then contacted the police. Police decided to destroy it after examining the item with a remote bomb robot detector.
However, Northern Territory police have ruled out any link between the suspected homemade bomb and the APEC energy ministers' meeting, which is being held in Darwin.
Darwin police station officer-in-charge Bruce Porter said it is coincidental that the item was destroyed 300 meters from the APEC energy ministers' meeting.
"There's no indications whatsoever that there is any reference to APEC," he was quoted as saying.
"It just appears to be poor timing in relation to the actual APEC forum itself," he said.
Over 200 ministers and delegates from 21 APEC members are gathering in Darwin to discuss how to meet growing energy demands and secure the supplies of energy they require in a sustainable manner.