Suspect package found on German plane bag

A suspect package containing a detonator, batteries and a ticking clock was found on a suitcase checked onto a Munich-bound plane, German police have said.

The bag was detected before it could be loaded on the flight from Namibia, reports BBC News.

The flight was delayed for several hours but landed safely at Munich on Thursday morning.

On Wednesday, Germany increased security amid intelligence pointing to a planned terror attack in the country.

It is not known if the latest discovery was part of this attack.

The German Federal Crime Office (BKA) is sending experts to the Namibian capital, Windhoek, to examine the package.

It was detected at the luggage screening point prior to loading, said the Namibia Airports Company (NAC).

"We are still investigating the suspicious object," a Namibian police spokesman told the BBC. "It's too early to say if it's terrorist-related. We will only pronounce when the investigation is completed."

Further security checks were carried out on passengers, luggage and the plane itself before the LTU/Air Berlin flight was allowed to depart. No explosives were found in the bag, Air Berlin said.
 

All passengers had to identify their own bags before they were reloaded. However, cargo due to be loaded on the flight was kept back for further investigation, said a statement from NAC.