Airport security authorities have refused to comment on how an aircraft passenger was able to travel across the United States and on to Bermuda with a loaded gun in his baggage.

Terry Jasper flew from Salt Lake City to Orlando, and then to Boston, and finally to Bermuda with the .38 Colt revolver in the external compartment of his checked baggage.

The Transportation Security Administration, which is responsible for security at all US airports, would not say why the weapon remained undetected until Mr Jasper left Bermuda last Sunday.

The Royal Gazette asked the TSA whether an investigation had been launched into how the gun remained undiscovered and whether it was concerned that safety procedures had failed to detect it. Instead of answering our questions, TSA spokesman Mike England forwarded this newspaper a link to the body’s website outlining its policies on travelling with firearms, and declined to comment. Meanwhile, the Ministry of National Security also refused to say whether an internal review would take place at the airport to prevent a similar incident happening in the future.

A spokeswoman said: “The airport has responsibility for screening outbound passengers and luggage on commercial flights and that process proved successful in this instance in that it did what it was designed to do. Security matters such as the specifics of these procedures are not properly the subject of public comment. Similarly, no comment will be made on the security policies and procedures of other entities involved in other screening programmes.”

The spokeswoman would not comment on whether sniffer dogs at LF Wade International were still deployed at the airport or whether they were trained to detect firearms. Mr Jasper, who travelled to Bermuda from Boston on JetBlue last Tuesday to celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife, was jailed for ten days at court this week after airport security staff discovered the loaded gun as he tried to leave the country.

As he was arrested the 52-year-old told police: “It was a stupid mistake. I did not realise it was there.” He went on to tell police that he had put the gun in his bag after a hunting trip and had forgotten it was there.

US regulations allow for firearms to be transported on an aircraft around the country so long as the gun is in a hard sided lockable container, ammunition is packed separately and the firearm is declared at check-in.

Lawrence Scott, the shadow transport minister, said: “Officially in the US the onus is on the traveller to ensure their baggage does not contain any contraband.

“If the reports are correct, this individual was transporting a firearm in a manner that is outside of the current regulations, and would generally have been detected by the US Transportation Security Administration at the departure airport.

“It appears in this case that the fire arm was not detected by the scanning procedures prior to his arrival in Bermuda. Therefore it was most significant and praise worthy that the Bermuda Security Group (BSG) staff at the LF Wade International Airport detected the illegal transportation of a fire arm and reported it. This is a clear signal to all who travel through our airport — Bermudian and visitor alike — that everyone must be personally aware and responsible for all items which they are either carrying or having placed in their personal luggage.”