The head of Ariana Airlines, Mullah Hamidullah, has meanwhile told the BBC's Pashto service that he believes some of the passengers could be linked to the hijackers. This, he said, indicated that they might know the hijackers and be part of a plot to seek asylum in Britain. The BBC's Kate Clark in Kabul says security has been tightened since the hijack, and armed men have taken up positions at the airport. People are being rigorously checked, and those who have no business at the airport are being turned away. Security at the airport is fairly basic, with no metal detectors or x-ray machines.
People have to be frisked by hand to check if they are carrying any weapons.
But reports suggest that women often escape intensive searches because of the Taleban's brand of orthodox Islam, which does not permit contact between women and strangers. Since Afghanistan does not have a history of hijacking, most searches focus on passengers' luggage to see if it contains any un-Islamic material. Ariana officials say that until now, the only security threat at Kabul airport has been from rocket attacks. The hijackers freed about 20 people during two stopovers in central Asia and in Moscow. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Links to other UK stories are at the foot of the page.