Fontaine to complain over spotters
A Labour Euro MP, Richard Howitt, was due in Athens yesterday to visit a group of 12 British plane-spotters who are in detention in Greece on charges of espionage. Meanwhile, the European Parliament’s president, Nicole Fontaine, is writing to the Greek government to try to quell the incident, the BBC reported yesterday. A meeting of Euro MPs in Brussels condemned the continued detention of the 12 Britons and two Dutch citizens who were arrested on November 8 during open day at an air base. Howitt challenged the Greeks to either charge the 12 Britons or let them go. Those who are detaining these people must make a decision – charge them or release them. They must put up or shut up, the BBC quoted him as saying. I want to check on their welfare and their conditions in prison and also, if possible, to push for swift decisions in this case. Liberal Democratic MEP Lady Sarah Ludford, said, I think our government is being too passive. He appealed for the return of the missing birds, offering to replace them with other canaries.
