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Ex-hostages to demand UK inquiry Ex-hostages demand UK inquiry
(about 5 hours later)
A group of Britons taken hostage by Iraq in 1990 are calling for a public inquiry after a documentary claims UK ministers knew more than they admitted. A group of Britons taken hostage by Iraq in 1990 are calling for a public inquiry as a documentary claims UK ministers knew more than they admitted.
The programme says British officials allowed a flight to land in Kuwait to get British spies in - despite knowing that Iraqi troops had already invaded. The programme says UK officials allowed a flight to make an unscheduled stop in Kuwait to get spies in, despite knowing that Iraqi troops had already invaded.
John Major, who was prime minister during the first Gulf War, has denied similar claims in the past. Margaret Thatcher was prime minister at the time and her successor, John Major, has denied similar claims in the past.
The Britons were held by Saddam Hussein's regime for five months.The Britons were held by Saddam Hussein's regime for five months.
They were used as "human shields" during the war, alongside some American and French citizens who were also on board the British Airways flight.They were used as "human shields" during the war, alongside some American and French citizens who were also on board the British Airways flight.
The airline - which has always denied any wrongdoing - had to pay out millions of pounds in compensation to French and US passengers during the 1990s. I'm convinced the plane touched down essentially on government orders John ChappellEx-hostage
But the British hostages were told they had no right to claim damages. Some of them will meet Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker on Monday to call for an independent public inquiry.
'Spy mission' One of the former hostages, John Chappell, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I want a little bit of honesty from my government. We said all along there was no reason this plane should have touched down.
The programme, being produced in America for BBC and the Discovery Channel, claims flight BA149 could have been diverted while it was still in the air. "I was amazed as a 14-year-old child that they were still flying into Kuwait, I thought they were going to re-route.
But the spying mission led officials to sanction the plane's refuelling stop in Kuwait City. "Successive governments have consistently denied there was anything fishy going on. I'm convinced the plane touched down essentially on government orders."
The programme is being independently produced in the US, but a BBC spokeswoman said the corporation had yet to decide if it will be broadcast.
The documentary claims flight BA149, with 350 passengers on board, could have been diverted while it was still in the air.
'Vital intelligence'
But the spying mission led officials to allow the plane's refuelling stop in Kuwait City en route to Madras, even though Iraqi troops had invaded hours before.
The claims come from men who said they were involved in the mission and who have spoken about it on film for the first time.The claims come from men who said they were involved in the mission and who have spoken about it on film for the first time.
Some of the passengers will meet Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker on Monday to call for an independent public inquiry. Journalist Steven Davis said the plan was that the spies would disembark and the plane would go on without anyone knowing they had been on board. But the runway was bombed when the plane landed.
He said that of the nine spies on board, two were captured but their stories held up and they were used as human shields.
Saddam appeared on state television with western hostages
The other seven escaped and they delivered vital intelligence which later helped the Allies when they invaded, he said.
In 2003 a French court ordered British Airways to pay 1.67 million euros (£1m) to seven of the passengers who were taken hostage.
The airline denied responsibility but the court said the invasion was highly predictable.
The British hostages were told they had no right to claim damages.
The Foreign Office has said that the government's position has already been outlined to Parliament and it is not prepared to discuss intelligence matters.The Foreign Office has said that the government's position has already been outlined to Parliament and it is not prepared to discuss intelligence matters.
Thousands of ex-pats were in Kuwait when the invasion happened.
They went into hiding or were held as "human shields" by the Iraqis at strategic positions such as power stations and military bases.
Saddam Hussein appeared on state television with 12 western hostages and denied they were being used as human shields.