Slovakia, Bratislava - Ireland, Dublin - A quantity of danger explosives was brought into Ireland as result of failed security test in Slovakia.

During the live security tests on Saturday, Slovak authorities planted eight special items, including the plastic explosives, in the luggage of unsuspecting passengers as they prepared to board international flights at Bratislava and Poprad airports. Seven items were detected by airport security, but the eighth one - 90g of research development explosive (RDX) - was lost and unwittingly transported to Dublin by 49-year-old Slovakian man in his luggage.

The Slovakia's police alerted Ireland's Garda about danger security failure on Tuesday morning, three days after it happened. During the security operation followed the call from Bratislava, the roads around the Dorset Street apartment complex, close to Dublin’s main thoroughfare O’Connell Street, were sealed off. All the adjoining homes and businesses were evacuated and a security cordon was maintained. The Ireland's Army bomb disposal team found the explosives still concealed in men's luggage. The explosives was described as in a “stable state”.

The Slovakian man was arrested at the scene, but Garda are now satisfied that he is innocent and he was released from custody. He should not face charges.

One security source said: “It is an unbelievable mistake. If that much explosive was detonated, it would cause serious damage, it would kill if it went off in a plane."

The Embassy of Slovak Republic in Dublin declined to comment, but Slovakia's Interior Minister Robert Kalinak has conveyed his profound regret to Ireland's Justice Minister Dermot Ahern.

(Compiled from press reports)