A suspect device discovered on an Air Berlin flight from Namibia to Germany was a dummy used to test security officials in Germany have confirmed.

At a press conference earlier today German interior minister Thomas de Maiziere explained the device was a “real-test suitcase” designed to analyse security.

No explosives were discovered with the device, he added.

The suitcase was discovered in Namibian capital Windhoek yesterday, situated near luggage about to be loaded on to a Munich-bound flight, triggering an international alarm.

Following the alarm, Mr de Maiziere told a news conference experts from the German federal police had flown to Windhoek to examine the suitcase.

Speaking in Munich he added: “The outcome is that the luggage turned out to be a so-called real-test suitcase made by a company in the United States.

“This company is a manufacturer of alarm and detection systems and these real-test suitcases are built to test security measures.”

Suspect Device

Asked if it could have been a German security test, he said that was “unlikely but part of the investigation”. However, Mr de Maiziere did not offer any details as to who might have planted the device.

He added: “The most important thing is that there were no explosives in the bag and there was never any danger to the passengers at any time.”

The Air Berlin plane, with around 300 passengers and crew on board, was delayed for six hours before being cleared for take-off to Munich.

The suspect package was intercepted by Namibian police and an X-ray inspection revealed batteries that were attached with wires to a “detonator” and a ticking clock.

The incident came just hours after Germany had raised its terrorist threat level, saying it had received a tip-off from an unspecified country about a suspected attack planned for the end of November.