Asylum seekers sent back

A GROUP of 56 asylum seekers who landed in London at the weekend from Rome will be flown back to Italy in the next few days.

Jack Straw, Home Secretary, has persuaded the Italian interior minister Giorgio Napolitano to take back the Kosovans in a deal which was brokered after urgent talks.

"The details for the return of the 56 nationals will be finalised today," said a Home Office spokeswoman.

The Kosovans arrived at Heathrow on Saturday night after taking an Alitalia flight from Rome. They remained in Britain despite allegedly telling the airline they would fly on to either Belgrade or Budapest via London.

They will be returned to Italy under the rules of the Dublin Convention, which states that the first safe country they land in within the European Union has responsibility for them.