Friday, August 25 2006 10:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The 12 Indians, travelling by a US airliner and arrested in The Netherlands, have been charged with disruption of flight, Government said here yesterday (Aug 24, 2006) night.

"The information we received says that they have been arrested for flight disruption and not terrorist acts," Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma told PTI here.

This information has been passed on to the Indian Embassy in The Hague by Dutch Tactical Investigation Coordinator J G Koops.

The Indians, who are in the age group of 24 and 50, were arrested after their activities were allegedly found suspect while they were flying by North West Airlines from Minneapolis to Mumbai yesterday.

The plane was diverted to Amsterdam's Schipol airport with two F-16 fighters escorting it.

The Indian Mission has asked the Dutch government to confirm whether the arrested people carried Indian passports or that of any other country.

It is necessary as under the Vienna Convention, Indian government can seek Consular access to them only if they carry Indian passports.

The Indian Mission is trying to get them released at the earliest, he said.

In this regard, the Indian Embassy is in touch with the Dutch Foreign Affairs Ministry and Justice Ministry.