Irish police say they have seized explosives smuggled into the country as part of a test of security procedures at Slovakia's Bratislava airport.
The Slovakian interior ministry had conveyed its "profound regret" to Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern over the incident, which comes amid heightened security following the failed Detroit plane bombing, Ahern's office said.
Sections of inner-city Dublin were sealed off on yesterday morning and homes and businesses were evacuated as anti-terrorist police units and the Irish army bomb disposal experts raided an apartment in Dorset Street.
A quantity of explosives, thought to be 90g of research development explosive (RDX), was seized in the raid.
A 49-year-old Slovakian electrician, who has worked in Ireland for three years, was arrested under anti-terrorist laws. He was questioned for three hours but was released without charge, a police spokesman said.
The raid was launched after the Slovakian authorities contacted police at Dublin airport, the justice ministry said.
It said the explosives were recovered from the luggage of a passenger who had flown back to Dublin after his Christmas holidays on Saturday.
The material was "concealed without his knowledge or consent in the passenger's luggage as part of an airport security exercise by the authorities in Slovakia", it said.
RTE state radio said the Dublin package was one of eight pieces of contraband planted by the authorities in the luggage of unsuspecting passengers at Bratislava airport. The other seven items were detected.
Police said they were in contact with law enforcement authorities in Slovakia regarding the matter and an investigation has been launched.
"Garda commissioner Fachtna Murphy has appointed Detective Chief Superintendent Martin McLaughlin to establish the full background to this incident," the statement said.
Labour Party opposition spokesman Joe Costello described the incident as an "extraordinary affair".
"This incident led to the closure of roads in the area, the evacuation of businesses and the lives and safety of residents could have been put at risk," he said.
"We also need to know what protest the government is going to make about this breach of our security."
Airports across the world have stepped up their security checks after a Nigerian man allegedly tried to set off a bomb on a US jetliner arriving at Detroit airport on December 25.
AFP
A failed test of security at Slovakia's Poprad airport resulted in a 49 year-old man unknowingly carrying plastic explosives from Slovakia to Dublin, Ireland. The explosives were concealed so well that the man did not find them when he unpacked his bag at his apartment.

On Saturday, Slovak authorities planted contraband in passengers' luggage at Poprad's Poprad-Tatry Airport without the knowledge of passengers.  Seven of the eight items were recovered, while an eighth made its way to an apartment in Dublin.  Slovak authorities realised on Tuesday that one package of explosives were missing and notified Irish authorities who searched the man's apartment.

During the search, parts of Dublin's inner-suburbs were sealed off and evacuated causing disruption to residents and businesses.  At the apartment authorities found the package and arrested the man under anti-terrorism laws; he was later released without charge after it was established he was innocent.

The man, a Slovakian electrician had been living in Ireland for some time. He was holidaying in Slovakia over Christmas.

Ireland's Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform issued a statement saying, "Following contact earlier today from the Slovakian authorities with the Airport Police at Dublin Airport, members of the Garda Síochána have recovered a small quantity of explosive material from the luggage of a passenger who had flown into Dublin from that country on Saturday last."

The package contained 90 grams (3 ounces) of the plastic explosive RDX, also known as cyclonite or hexogen. According to Commandant Gavin Young, a spokesperson for the Irish Defense Forces, "On their own, this type of explosive does need to be combined with other elements to make it into a bomb, but obviously this type of high-grade explosive is potentially extremely dangerous."

Slovakia's Minister for the Interior Robert Kalinak has apologized to Irish Justice Minister Dermot Ahern over the incident and expressed his “profound regret”. Irish authorities are now investigating the incident and the government has ordered for a full report to be delivered.

The Irish Opposition has expressed concern about the incident. Labour Party spokesman Joe Costello said "This incident led to the closure of roads in the area, the evacuation of businesses and the lives and safety of residents could have been put at risk. We also need to know what protest the government is going to make about this breach of our security."