FEARS that two of the six Britons held in Yemen on suspicion of terrorist activity had been shot were discounted last night by British embassy officials, writes Aine Harrington.
The spokesman for the men's families, solicitor Mr Rashad Yaqoob, said relatives of the detainees in Yemen had heard from local security personnel that two of them had been shot. It was not clear, however, how badly they had been injured, the solicitor added.
However, British embassy officials in the Middle Eastern state, who have been in contact with the Yemeni Interior Minister and the Head of Security for Aden, expressed doubts the report was accurate.
The British consul general, David Pearse, said: ''I am confident as I can be that this report is not correct. I cannot see there being an element of truth in it.
''Rumours have been rampant about these people over the last few days and it is causing consular officials to spend time on things other than their most important task, which is getting in to see these people.''
The Foreign Office has said that six Britons are at present in custody in Yemen. However, the families yesterday had only details of five men, who they said were visiting the country on British passports to see relatives, learn Arabic, and study Islam.
They were named as Mohsin Ghalain, 18, from London; Ghulam Hussein, 25, from Luton, Bedfordshire; and Shahid Butt, 33, Malik Nassir Harhra, 26, and Samad Ahmed, 21, all from Birmingham. The Britons are being detained with Lebourdice Pierrick James, 30, who is from France. They were arrested last month on December 24 and 27.
It is understood the prisoners are being questioned about plots to bomb targets including the British Consulate in the port city of Aden, an Anglican church, and the Movenpick Hotel in Aden, which caters for western tourists.
They are also being quizzed about possible links with the gang that kidnapped 16 western tourists - including 10 Britons - on December 29, in an abduction leading to a gun battle in which four hostages died.
It has been reported that the release of the prisoners was one of the demands made by the hostage-takers. But the wife of detainee Ghulam Hussein, Monica Davis, told a news conference in Birmingham yesterday that her husband was not a terrorist.
The 24 year-old said: ''My husband is a family man, a quiet man. It was a family holiday which we had planned. These allegations are just ludicrous.''
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