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Arrested Britons to return home Britons held after Kenya arrest
(about 7 hours later)
Four Britons held in Kenya after an operation to capture Islamic fighters fleeing from Somalia are to return to the UK, says the Foreign Office. Four Britons arrested in Kenya after crossing the border from war-torn Somalia have been held under terrorism laws on their return home.
The men were arrested by Kenyan authorities and have now been handed over to British officials. Officers are questioning the men, all in their 20s and from London.
They were among several foreigners who were detained on the border between the two east African states. A police spokesman said the men had been detained under the Terrorism Act 2000 to allow them to investigate their arrest by the Kenyan authorities.
The men were flown to the Kenyan capital Nairobi and their return is now being organised. Somalian authorities alleged the men - among several foreigners detained - may have had links to al-Qaeda.
The four men were detained on 20 January and deported to Somalia on 10 February. The Metropolitan Police said the four Britons were detained in Kenya on or around 21 January after crossing the border from Somalia.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) officials say they are trying to establish what happened. They were deported back to Somalia on 10 February.
There have previously been claims that Britons were injured or captured in fighting in Somalia, which is currently gripped by a power struggle between Islamists and government forces backed by Ethiopia. Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff from Nairobi travelled to Baidoa in Somalia and accompanied the men back to Kenya.
An FCO spokesman said the men were all in good physical condition.
The four were flown back to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, arriving at 0650 GMT.
A police spokesman said: "The men have been detained under port and border controls of the Terrorism Act 2000 in order for us to investigate the circumstances leading up to their detention by the Kenyan authorities."
The spokesman added: "They have been taken to a west London police station where they are currently detained. They have not been arrested."
UK support claimUK support claim
Somalia's deputy prime minister had previously claimed that some support for the Islamist movement was coming from the UK. FCO officials say they were trying to establish what happened.
The authorities in Somalia believe the men, who are all from London, may have had links to al-Qaeda. There have previously been claims that Britons were injured or captured in fighting in Somalia, which is currently gripped by a power struggle between Islamists and government forces backed by Ethiopia.
An FCO spokesman said: "These four men are in Nairobi in the care of UK officials. Somalia's deputy prime minister had previously alleged that some support for the Islamist movement was coming from the UK.
"The Consul has been to see the men, they are in good physical condition and the High Commission is facilitating their return to the UK." A Kenyan police official said the Britons were among 10 foreigners who had been found fleeing Somalia.
A Kenyan police official has said the Britons were among 10 foreigners who had been found fleeing Somalia.
The group, which also included two Americans, a Frenchman, a Tunisian woman, Syrians and other fighters of Arabic origin, were to be deported, he said.The group, which also included two Americans, a Frenchman, a Tunisian woman, Syrians and other fighters of Arabic origin, were to be deported, he said.
Ethiopian forces invaded Somalia in December to prevent the Islamic movement, the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), from ousting the internationally recognised government from its stronghold in the west of the country.Ethiopian forces invaded Somalia in December to prevent the Islamic movement, the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC), from ousting the internationally recognised government from its stronghold in the west of the country.