"I express hope that security at the airport and policing at the airport will be subject to a review at the highest level."

The court had heard that airport staff swabbed the device, which was later found to contain nitroglycerin, but found no trace of explosive and terminal three security manager Deborah Jeffrey initially put it into her pocket.

Judge Field said: "It occurred to me and I'm sure to others listening to that evidence that by acting that way she put herself, her fellow employees and members of the public at risk."

He said the situation was "compounded" by police who accepted the assurance that the device was not viable and missed an "early opportunity" to arrest Muhammad - who was allowed to board a flight to Italy five days later and another back to the UK before he was arrested on February 12.

Sentencing, Judge Field said Muhammad would "undoubtedly" have carried the bomb on to the plane or into the airport's departure lounge where he would have detonated it.

He said: "If detonated in the confines of the cabin of a commercial aeroplane, this device could have caused not inconsiderable injury and damage to those close to the explosion and this then, on any view, is a particularly serious and grave offence."