France investigates airport gaffe

French police say they will stop using real luggage in training

France's Interior Minister has ordered an inquiry into what he called a "scandalous" airport security gaffe.

The investigation aims to find out how police lost trace of a 150-gram bar of plastic explosives in a Paris airport.

Police had hidden the explosives in luggage to train their sniffer dogs, but the bag was lost on Friday evening.

Authorities were forced to alert dozens of airlines to warn them that the explosives might be aboard. The explosives are still missing.

Lost luggage

"This is not part of traditional practices," Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said, vowing that those who were responsible would be punished.

"I'd like to believe that this was isolated and the product of an individual initiative," he said.

Police spokesperson Pierre Bouquin said they would stop using passengers' luggage for practice.

The incident happened on Friday when the plastic explosives were placed in a small dark blue case - belonging to an unsuspecting passenger - as it passed on a conveyor belt at Charles de Gaulle airport.

One dog detected the package but police lost sight of the suitcase when they went to pick up a second dog to take part in the security exercise.

Officials believe the bag, which has not yet been traced, ended up on one of 90 flights leaving the airport on Friday evening.

Police say the explosives used cannot be activated without detonators.