U.K. A Boeing 727 Ariana Airlines plane from Afghanistan remains in London's Stansted airport. Hijackers released their hostages safely and surrendered early Thursday, Feb. 10, ending a four-day standoff. After nearly half the freed hostages from an Afghan jet hijacking sought asylum in Britain, the government is taking a tough stance to show that seizing a plane is not the way to win refuge.
Hostage crisis ends peacefully.
Home Secretary Jack Straw told legislators Thursday Britain would try to deport them, if the law allowed. Straw's stance was backed by Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose spokesman said a clear signal must be sent out that hijacking was not the way to obtain asylum in Britain. Meanwhile, the Taliban announced moves it hopes will prevent another hijacking. Supreme leader Mullah Mohammed Omar said armed commandos would be on all flights of the state-run airline from now on. More Arrests Possible Authorities are still trying to determine who was involved, and more arrests are possible.