The suspects arrested could have meant a security risk for Hungary, which is underlined by information from Budapest’s chief prosecutor, Lázár said.

Earlier on Thursday, Tibor Ibolya, the chief prosecutor, said that some of the suspects apprehended and found to possess automatic weapons, explosives and ammunition, had criminal records.

Tibor Ibolya said the two people apprehended on Friday who had automatic weapons in their vehicle had been arrested before for illegal possession of firearms.

One of the two men was arrested in May this year for attempting to smuggle ammunition into the country, while the other one was released from prison last November after serving seven and a half years for the unlawful use of a weapon.

The four people who were apprehended travelling in a car towards Budapest on Saturday were found in possession of Second World War grenades, “egg grenades”, ammunition and other explosives.

Of the two Slovak and two Hungarian nationals, the prosecutor only intended to place one in pre-trial detention because TEK had found even more ammunition, grenades, chemicals and fuses in his home and concealed in his clothing.

The Budapest Regional Court, however, rejected the prosecutor’s motion to detain the suspect. The prosecutor said it has additional information on the suspect that would warrant his pre-trial detention, but refused to elaborate, citing the ongoing investigation. The prosecutor said it has appealed the court’s decision to release the suspect.

The Budapest Regional Court told MTI that there is no evidence to suggest that the suspect had any connection to criminal or terrorist organisations, nor is there any evidence to suggest that the case could be linked to any other ongoing investigation.

The court said there was no information to indicate that any of the suspects held extremist views or had connections abroad. The suspect whom the court wanted to detain did not have a criminal record.

The leftist opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) party said it would file a complaint against TEK saying that it deliberately misled the public by implying that it had apprehended Islamic extremists.

Lawmaker Ágnes Vadai said that Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s “private army had failed” and that TEK chief János Hajdu had embarrassed Hungarian police officers.

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