NICOLA STOW
CRIME REPORTER

POLICE intelligence reports suggest there is unlikely to be widespread trouble in the Capital during the G8 summit.

Detectives have been monitoring extremist groups for months and discovered no evidence of plans to organise riots or other large-scale disorder.

Thousands of officers have been drafted in in preparation for the "worst-case scenario".

But the Evening News has been given details of a private briefing, where senior health service managers - who are drawing up plans to cope with potentially massive casualties - were told there was no "specific intelligence" of organised violence.

Similar checks on possible terrorist activities have also drawn a blank.

Sergeant Sandra Meneghan told health officials there will be more police in the Capital than "ever before" for the duration of the summit, with officers being drafted in from other forces across Scotland as well as forces in England and Wales.

Health workers were told at least 100,000 activists were expected to take part in the Make Poverty History march in the Capital on July 2.

But they were told while a certain degree of violence would be expected, no specific intelligence had been received to suggest organised violence on the day.

Sgt Meneghan said the force was not expecting scenes of violence such as those in Genoa four years ago, when one activist was killed and dozens more injured.

Twenty-eight Italian police officers are on trial accused of beating anti-globalisation demonstrators at the G8 summit held there. Almost 100 people were hurt during the raid on the Diaz school, the then headquarters of the Genoa Social Forum. Among the accused are Italy's current anti-terrorism chief, Francesco Gratteri, and Giovanni Luperi, the head of an EU taskforce on Islamist terrorism. The charges include grievous bodily harm, slander and false arrest.

Sgt Meneghan is understood to have said: "While we are prepared for violence, we have not received any specific intelligence to suggest any violence of this nature will take place in Edinburgh."

But she said there was an opportunity for somebody to carry out an act of terrorism, and the police had prepared for the "worst-case scenario".

Sgt Meneghan told the group: "The G8 summit is an ideal opportunity for protests and any group that wants to get publicity for any cause will use this time to stage a protest."

She said the obvious locations for protests in Edinburgh include the parliament, the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh Airport, the consulates, hotels, St Andrew's House, Bute House, businesses, Princes Street, the M8 and the Forth bridges.

Police have also been consulting with business leaders in the Capital on plans for road closures and security. Businesses have been told to make sure CCTV systems are working and that they have tapes in them at all times.

Fears have already been expressed that the Capital will come to a standstill in the run-up to G8, with businesses pulling down the shutters rather than risk violent clashes.

McDonald's is already planning to close its city centre branches and Shell is understood to be considering closing Capital filling stations.