British diplomats urge arms suspect release

British diplomats in India have asked for a meeting with the Indian Foreign minister, Jaswant Singh, to press for the release of an alleged British arms dealer who has served more than five years in jail in Calcutta.

The British Deputy High Commissioner in Calcutta, Dr John Michener, who visited Peter Bleach in jail today Saturday said it was unfair that he was still being held while five Russian pilots facing the same charges had been released.

Mr Bleach and the five Russians were arrested just days after dropping a huge consignment of weapons over the district of Purulia near West Bengal's border with Bihar in 1996.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service