Detainees arrive in Mumbai; praise Indian Embassy in Amsterdam

Mumbai, Aug 26 (UNI) The 12 Indians who caused panic in the India-bound Northwest Airlines and were detained by the Dutch authorities, returned to Mumbai early today at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus International Airport.

Their flight NW0042 was escorted back to Schiphol airport in Amsterdam by F-16 fighter planes on Wednesday after the pilot raised an alert over ''suspicious behaviour'' when passengers exchanged mobile phones and changed seats.

After intense interrogation the passengers were released.

Of the 12 Indians, all Muslims, nine of them hail from the surburb of Jogeshwari in North Mumbai.

A relative of a passenger who was detained, was all praise for the Indian Embassy in Amsterdam.

When asked about the behaviour of the 12 detainees, he said, ''As the passengers were tired, they exchnaged seats. And one of them had bought a new mobile phones which he was showing to his friend, also on the same flight. This aroused suspicion.'' However, the relative maintained that the 12 men were detained and seperate interrogations were held.

He said only a few of the 12 Indians were wearing ethnic dresses and sporting beards. ''Not all of them,'' he insisted.

When UNI tried talking to the passengers, who arrived at around 0215 hrs, their relatives said they had been through an ordeal and were tired. They would talk to the media after a couple of hours.

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