The report sparked criticism from French President Jacques Chirac, who called it wrong and drawn up without proper checks.

But neither Polish nor French authorities denied that the Roland-type anti-aircraft weapons were found near the Iraqi town of Hilla in a zone controlled by the Polish-led military force.

"I apologised to France for this information, which had been issued without my authorisation," said Defence Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski, adding that an investigation had been ordered.

He said Polish troops were likely to have interpreted the 2003 inscription on the missiles as the year of their production. "And this could have been, for example, the date up to which they are fit to be used," he said.

The Defence Ministry said on Friday that Polish troops in Iraq had discovered four French-made Roland missiles, which are part of short-range air defence systems in many countries including France and Germany.