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French hunt 'missing' explosives French hunt for stolen explosives
(about 1 hour later)
French anti-terrorist officers are hunting 28kg (61lb) of explosives missing from a security services site, an official told the news agency AFP. French anti-terrorist officers are hunting 28kg (61lb) of explosives missing from a security services site at Corbas, near the city of Lyon.
A police source in Paris told the agency the missing material was Semtex - the deadly plastic explosive which is very hard to detect. A police official in Paris said the missing material was Semtex - the powerful plastic explosive which is very hard to detect.
Detonators are also missing from the site at Corbas near Lyon, reports say. France's foreign ministry confirmed an investigation was underway, saying the head of the site had been suspended.
Police said the discovery was made on Friday but the explosives could have been taken up to a week ago. Police say they are treating the theft "very seriously".
Police are treating the theft "very seriously", the Paris police source told AFP. Detonators are also missing, the police official told the AFP news agency.
The store is described as belonging to a specialist anti-mines division. The discovery that explosives were missing from the site, said to be home to a specialist anti-mine division of the security services, was made on Friday.
Police sources declined to confirm a newspaper website report which said that the store had been unguarded, AFP said. However, it is thought the explosives could have been taken up to one week ago.
In a statement released late on Friday the foreign ministry said that explosives were normally kept at the site for use in destroying old munitions, and that "security failings" had made the theft possible.
Police sources have declined to confirm a newspaper website report which said that the store had been unguarded.