Paris: Fake bombs bound for US embassy cause huge scare at Charles de Gaulle Airport

Fake bombs bound for the US embassy in Tunisia sparked a major security alert at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport after they were found in a ripped FedEx parcel. Employees of the courier service alerted authorities after discovering a pressure cooker filled with nuts and bolts.

In another container, they located similar devices,along with what looked to be detonators. Staff alerted security service of "imminent danger" and officials arrived with sniffer dogs to test the devices.

The devices turned out to be decoys, meant for a training exercise at the US embassy in Tunisia. "This type of delivery is not common, but sometimes takes place," a source told AFP. "This is just the first time that a package has been opened."

The delivery was slammed as "irresponsible" by union representatives and calls were made to ban such deliveries coming through France. "Nobody was aware of this cargo," Frederic Petit, a representative of FedEx employees for the CGT union, told AFP.

Security has been heightened and tense around Paris since the attacks of November 2015. On 28 January, two people were arrested after they were found carrying handguns and bullets during a security check at Disneyland Paris.