Pokemon players arrested with gun stash on way to world contest

Two men from Iowa have been arrested at the Pokemon World Championships in Boston after threats were made on social media. Kevin Norton, 18, and James Stumbo, 27, were found with guns, ammunition and a knife in their car.

The pair are now facing firearms charges, and Boston police say a "potential tragedy" has been prevented, CNN reports. The incident has not been linked to international terrorism.

The alarm was raised after the championship organisers were told of threats posted on social media. Engaget.com reports that images of a rifle and a shotgun were posted on Facebook with the text: "[We] are ready for worlds Boston here we come!!!"

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Pokemon is a long-running Japanese videogame franchise and both of the arrested men had qualified to play in the invitation-only event, which took place at the weekend in a Boston convention centre.

According to Engaget, Stumbo was the Nebraska state champion in the game. At the weekend, they would have competed for the top prize of a $10,000 scholarship award, CNN says.

Organisers and police did not inform the public watching the tournament, or the players themselves, that the threats had been made – though some realised something was wrong when they spotted police with sniffer dogs.

Officers were posted on every floor of the Hynes Centre and every bag was screened, says Engaget. Speaking after the arrests, organisers said they did not believe there was "any further threat at this time".