<a href='http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041207/ap_on_re_eu/france_lost_explosives_13' target='_blank'>http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...t_explosives_13</a>

French Minister Seethes at Lost Explosives

Tue Dec 7,12:00 PM ET


PARIS - France's interior minister vowed punishment for police who slipped plastic explosives into a passenger's luggage to train airport bomb-sniffing dogs — then lost the bag — saying Monday that the training method was "scandalous."

The practice was made public after the bag was lost Friday night at Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport and likely ended up on one of up to 90 flights that departed at the time. The bag has still not turned up.


Authorities have assured that there was little risk of detonation because special triggers are required to set off the plastic.


Police quickly ordered a halt to the practice, with spokesman Pierre Bouquin saying that sniffer dogs would stop using real luggage for practice.


Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said on Monday that an investigation would determine where sanctions could be applied.


"This is not part of traditional practices," said Villepin, calling the practice "scandalous."


"I want to think that this was isolated and the product of an individual initiative," Villepin said.

That's just great. I hope the poor, unsuspecting flyer isn't going to Israel or Germany. I still don't have much confidence in our agents though.