Here we go, folks. The French government has now backed off from early claims that the bomb discovered on a French railway was similar to devices claimed by the “shadowy” group ETA AZF: French Railroad Worker Finds Explosive.

France’s Interior Ministry said the bomb did not resemble one found in February on a railroad track near Limoges in central France, located with clues from a previously unknown group calling itself AZF. The group claimed to have planted nine bombs along the country’s rail network and has threatened to explode them unless it is paid millions of dollars.

French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said there were “a certain number of elements” that lead officials to believe the two cases may not be the same. A ministry official said it was not immediately clear whether the device found Wednesday was capable of exploding.

Police, terrorism experts and intelligence officials held a crisis meeting at the Interior Ministry. The state-run train authority said it would undertake a massive new inspection, starting with tracks carrying passengers and hazardous freight.

The bomb, which was being examined at a police laboratory, was in a clear plastic box measuring about 8 inches by 8 inches. The box contained nitrate fuel and a flat battery linked to seven detonators and a handmade timing device, the ministry said.