Former Hostages May Get Asylum

Seventy-four asylum-seekers from a hijacked Afghan plane could be dispersed to the United States, India, Pakistan and elsewhere under a new plan being drafted by Britain, a foreign office spokesman said Monday.

“We are in touch with a number of interested countries in case passengers want to go there,” the spokesman said on condition of anonymity.

The asylum-seekers were among the passengers aboard a hijacked Ariana Airlines Boeing 727 jet diverted to Stansted airport, north of London, last week. The plane was en route from Kabul to the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif when it was hijacked at gunpoint. The hijackers and the passengers left the plane peacefully on Thursday.

Another 72 hijacked passengers left Britain early Monday on a flight bound for Kandahar, Afghanistan, eight days after their ordeal began. Passengers were to be greeted in Kandahar by representatives of the Geneva-based International Organization for Migration, who will escort them back to their villages, news reports said.

Nineteen people from the aircraft remained in British custody Monday in connection with the hijacking. Essex police said the detained men were likely to be charged with hijacking or air piracy, which carries a life sentence, as well as possession of firearms.

For the 74 passengers who did not want to go home, British officials have begun informal discussions with a number of countries with Afghan communities, the spokesman said. Discussions were also underway with Uzbekistan, Kazakstan and Russia.

The spokesman denied reports that Britain had offered to pay expenses to countries who agreed to take the former hostages.