Surface-to-air missile part of Russian ex-mayor’s plan to murder rival

The mayor of Toronto might be wrapped up in an investigation linked to drugs and gangs, but the former mayor of a Russian city has been accused of plotting to murder a political opponent with a missile, according to the BBC.

The broadcaster reported Said Amirov, who was arrested in June on charges of murdering a head investigator in the city of Makhachkala, where he was mayor at the time, is now accused of buying an surface-to-air missile system with the intention of killing an official.

He has been charged with arms trafficking and terrorism for the plot, which involved shooting down a plane belonging to the head of the Republic of Dagestan's pension department, according to reports. Amirov, who has survived several assassination attempts himself, denies the charges.

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Meanwhile in Canada, the saga of another politician, Toronto mayor Rob Ford, has opened a new act as police say they've obtained footage that's consistent with past reports about a video of the mayor smoking crack cocaine. The city's chief of police, Bill Blair, told The National Post investigators had obtained a video, but he did not confirm that Rob Ford is shown smoking crack in the footage.

Police also arrested a friend of the mayor, Alexander Lisi, on extortion charges, and released a large set of documents about the investigation surrounding him, including phone records showing calls to and from the mayor.