An Eastern European electrician who unwittingly became a guinea-pig for his country’s anti-terror measures was celebrating his freedom last night after being detained for smuggling explosives.
The unnamed Slovakian citizen found himself in the middle of a security alert in the Irish capital after a call from his country’s authorities. Slovakian officials told Ireland that the passenger had been part of an unconventional security operation at Bratislava airport last Saturday as he was boarding a flight for Dublin.
Eight pieces of contraband were planted by the authorities in the baggage of innocent passengers to test the airport’s security procedures. Seven were detected, but the eighth — 90 grams (3oz) of the plastic explosive RDX hidden among the Slovak’s personal effects — was not.
The electrician, returning to Ireland where he has lived for four years, got on his flight undetected and unaware that he was in possession of enough explosive to blow up the plane mid-air. It was not until three days after he landed that the Irish police were informed by the Slovakian authorities of what had happened.
They immediately raided the man’s flat in an apartment block in central Dublin, the area was sealed off and residents and businesses were evacuated. The Slovak, who was still unaware of what was hidden in his luggage, was arrested and charged under the anti-terrorist Offences Against the State Act. The electrician’s own Government was eventually able to persuade the Irish authorities that his protestations of innocence were genuine.
Questions were being asked last night about the legality of the Slovakian authorities’ actions in planting explosives on a citizen for the purpose of a security test.
Dermot Ahern, Ireland’s Justice Minister, said he was concerned that An Garda Síochána, the Irish police, were not informed for three days.
It is understood that the security breach came to light only because officials at Bratislava airport finally contacted their counterparts at Dublin airport who then passed the information to the police.
źródło: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/w ... 977074.ece
