Thirteen men charged in connection with the hijacking of the Afghan Airlines jet that ended at Stansted Airport last week were remanded in custody at Southend Magistrates' Court in Essex yesterday.
As Home Office officials disclosed that 69 former hostages claiming asylum could remain in Britain for up to 19 days before a final decision is reached on their applications, the men appeared in court accused of using force or threat to seize the aircraft between February 6th and February 10th. They will appear in the magistrates' court again on March 13th.
The men, ranging in age from 18 to 36, were brought into court in small groups, and through interpreters informed the stipendiary magistrate that they would not be applying for bail. They confirmed their names and wore stickers on their clothes with their names written on them.
The court appearance came a few hours after 73 of the former hostages arrived back to a warm welcome from the Taliban government in Afghanistan. Essex police confirmed that a 14th man was being held for questioning in connection with the hijacking. Six men previously arrested in connection with the incident have now been released without charge.
In the Commons, Conservatives rounded on the Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, demanding an explanation of his comment last week that he wanted to see all the people from the hijacked aircraft returned home as quickly as possible.
Mr Straw insisted he had made it clear since the hijacking ended that asylum applications would be judged on their merit. "But what I said remains the case that, subject to the compliance with all legal requirements, I would wish to see removed from this country" all those on the hijacked aircraft.