A huge anti-terror alert was sparked in Dublin today after a man from Slovakia unwittingly brought explosives into the country which had been planted in his bags by Slovak security officials.

The failed security exercise began in Bratislava airport at the weekend when authorities planted eight explosive devices in the baggage of unsuspecting passengers.

Airport security in Slovakia detected seven of the devices but the eighth was put in bags belonging to a Slovakian electrician who flew on to Dublin with the explosive, RDX.

Slovakian security officials only alerted the Irish police today and police are furious that they were not notified about this sooner.

The 49-year-old man was returning from his Christmas vacation in Slovakia when security chiefs there randomly picked him out as a guinea pig.

He passed through the security clearing area and boarded his flight to Dublin unaware that he was carrying explosives in his baggage.

Police in Bratislava notified their Irish counterparts today that the man could be carrying explosives.

Gardai sealed off the area around the man's apartment in Dorset Street and evacuated neighboring homes while they searched for the RDX.

The man was arrested at the scene but he will not face charges as the police are satisfied that he was an unwitting participant.

The Slovakian Minister for the Interior has said his Government is profoundly sorry about the incident.

However, Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said he was concerned about the fact that the gardaí were not alerted for three days and has asked for a full report.