A man has been charged in Sweden with attempting to hijack a Ryanair flight to Britain.
The 29-year-old Swede of Tunisian extraction was travelling to an Islamic conference in Birmingham when a pistol was found concealed in a toilet bag in his luggage.
Sweden's Sapo security police have flown in anti-terrorism experts from Britain to help question the man, it has been reported.
Police said he has a criminal record of petty crimes and is not thought to have had any connection with militant groups.
The discovery was made as passengers passed through security at Stockholm Vasteras Airport yesterday to board Ryanair flight FR685 to London, a spokeswoman for the airline said.
All passengers were interviewed by security staff at the airport and local police and later made their journey.
A security search of the plane was done out as a precaution before it was cleared to depart for London Stansted shortly before 11 p.m. It landed 12.45 a.m. (Irish time).
There were 189 passengers booked on the plane - a Boeing 737-800 - which was scheduled to leave Stockholm at 3.55 p.m. local time.
The spokeswoman for the airline said: "Ryanair commends the prompt action and vigilance of the security staff at Stockholm Vasteras Airport and we are co-operating fully with the relevant Swedish Authorities.
"We apologise sincerely to our passengers for this delay, but safety and security is our number one priority".
A spokeswoman for Aer Rianta said security remained at the heightened level agreed to after September 11th at its three airports.
She said security was operated under the strict regulations laid down in international aviation laws.
PA