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| Greenpeace worker Alex Harris's family to fly to Russia | Greenpeace worker Alex Harris's family to fly to Russia |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The family of a Greenpeace activist held in Russia are preparing to fly out to visit her. | The family of a Greenpeace activist held in Russia are preparing to fly out to visit her. |
| Alex Harris 27, has been in custody since Thursday last week when armed Russian officials stormed the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise. | Alex Harris 27, has been in custody since Thursday last week when armed Russian officials stormed the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise. |
| She is among 30 of the crew who have been told they face up to two months in custody while investigations continue. | |
| Cliff Harris, of Winkleigh in Devon, said the family were in shock at the Russians' reaction. | Cliff Harris, of Winkleigh in Devon, said the family were in shock at the Russians' reaction. |
| Engineer Iain Rogers, 37, from Exeter, is also being held. | Engineer Iain Rogers, 37, from Exeter, is also being held. |
| 'Piracy' inquiry | 'Piracy' inquiry |
| Coastguards arrested the crew on suspicion of piracy after two people scaled an offshore drilling platform in the Arctic. | Coastguards arrested the crew on suspicion of piracy after two people scaled an offshore drilling platform in the Arctic. |
| The activists - who hail from 18 countries, including the UK - are being held in Murmansk in northern Russia pending a "piracy" inquiry. | The activists - who hail from 18 countries, including the UK - are being held in Murmansk in northern Russia pending a "piracy" inquiry. |
| Greenpeace says the activists were staging a legal, peaceful protest. | Greenpeace says the activists were staging a legal, peaceful protest. |
| Mr Harris said "We never expected this sort of reaction from the Russian authorities. | Mr Harris said "We never expected this sort of reaction from the Russian authorities. |
| "She is putting on a brave face but must be going through a terrifying experience at the moment." | "She is putting on a brave face but must be going through a terrifying experience at the moment." |
| Miss Harris, who now lives in Australia, has been employed with Greenpeace for about two years as a digital communications worker. | Miss Harris, who now lives in Australia, has been employed with Greenpeace for about two years as a digital communications worker. |
| Mr Harris said: "She was just looking forward to seeing polar bears and never thought for one minute this sort of thing would happen." | Mr Harris said: "She was just looking forward to seeing polar bears and never thought for one minute this sort of thing would happen." |
| Miss Harris sent an email to her parents from a Russian consular office on Thursday saying: "Hi all, still OK. Will get in touch when I can. | Miss Harris sent an email to her parents from a Russian consular office on Thursday saying: "Hi all, still OK. Will get in touch when I can. |
| "Don't worry. I just need some fresh air." | "Don't worry. I just need some fresh air." |
| 'Followed her heart' | 'Followed her heart' |
| Mr Harris said: "She has always been passionate about the environment. | Mr Harris said: "She has always been passionate about the environment. |
| "This was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration so this is a totally over-the-top way of handling it by the Russian authorities. | "This was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration so this is a totally over-the-top way of handling it by the Russian authorities. |
| "When she heard the news she was going to detained for two months she broke down a little bit, Greenpeace has told us. | "When she heard the news she was going to detained for two months she broke down a little bit, Greenpeace has told us. |
| "She is not a terrorist. She is not a bad person at all. | "She is not a terrorist. She is not a bad person at all. |
| "She has followed her heart and is doing what she wants to do and she has our support." | "She has followed her heart and is doing what she wants to do and she has our support." |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the activists from 18 countries are clearly "not pirates" but had broken international law. | Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the activists from 18 countries are clearly "not pirates" but had broken international law. |
| The charge of piracy carries a prison term of up to 15 years in Russia. | The charge of piracy carries a prison term of up to 15 years in Russia. |
| Vladimir Markin, spokesman for Russia's Investigative Committee - its equivalent of the FBI - said there was a possibility that the remand orders would be lifted early as investigators clarified what roles those detained had played in the protest. | Vladimir Markin, spokesman for Russia's Investigative Committee - its equivalent of the FBI - said there was a possibility that the remand orders would be lifted early as investigators clarified what roles those detained had played in the protest. |
| Under Russian law the prosecution can ask a judge to detain people pending further investigation. | Under Russian law the prosecution can ask a judge to detain people pending further investigation. |