Aid worker held after 'explosives traces' found

A British woman driving a car with Canadian diplomatic plates was detained near the Gaza Strip after Israeli officials said traces of explosives were found in the boot.

The woman, who is not a diplomat, was released after questioning, said police spokesman Gil Kleiman, adding that the investigation was continuing.

The woman, who works for the Canada Fund, an aid agency, was detained at the Erez Crossing yesterday as she was driving from Gaza to Israel, said Reynald Doiron, a spokesman for the Canadian Foreign Affairs Ministry.

‘‘According to Israeli authorities, there were trace elements of explosive materials in the trunk of her car,’’ said Doiron.

But later Natalie Amar, a spokeswoman for the Canadian Embassy in Tel Aviv, said Israeli authorities were now saying chemical traces, not explosives, were found in the car.

She said the car had been in the garage for two weeks and that those ‘‘chemical traces could emanate from any chemicals that are used in a garage, like spray paint’’.

The woman was in Gaza on official business, the spokesman said, adding that the Canada Fund managed small aid projects for the Canadian International Development Agency.

Doiron said the Canadian Embassy in Israel was in contact with Israeli and British authorities.

Kleiman, the police spokesman, had said traces of explosives were found during a sweep of the car. Israeli radio reports said police sniffer dogs were used in the search.