UK appeal court to rule on Afghan hijackers

LONDON - The British government will find out on Friday whether it has successfully won its appeal against a court ruling allowing nine Afghans who hijacked a plane to stay in the country as refugees.

In May, London's High Court overturned the government's decision not to allow the nine men to remain in Britain, describing it as "an abuse of power".

But that attracted scathing criticism from Prime Minister Tony Blair who branded the ruling an "abuse of common sense".

The nine Afghans, armed with knives and guns, hijacked a Boeing 727 plane in February 2000 after the aircraft left Afghanistan's capital Kabul on an internal flight.

They ordered the pilot to fly to London's Stansted Airport, telling negotiators they would blow up everybody on board if they were not granted political asylum.

The men, leaders and members of the political group Young Intellectuals of Afghanistan, which intended to bring enlightenment and freedom to the country, had claimed they faced torture or death at the hands of the Taleban.

After giving his ruling in the High Court in May, Judge Jeremy Sullivan lambasted the Home Office, saying: "It is difficult to conceive of a clearer case of conspicuous unfairness amounting to an abuse of power by a public authority."

However, Home Secretary John Reid said the public would find the decision "inexplicable or bizarre".

- REUTERS