UK arms dealer's release delayed

Peter Bleach: Jailed for life in January 2000

India's release of British arms dealer Peter Bleach has been delayed since a customs case against him is pending.

During a visit from UK Home Secretary David Blunkett the Indian Deputy Prime Minister, LK Advani, revealed Mr Bleach would be freed.

The 52-year-old Yorkshire man was arrested with five Latvian air crew caught on an illegal arms drop in 1995 and jailed for life in Calcutta.

The outstanding case is expected to be dealt with early next week.

Procedural delay

The aircraft used by Mr Bleach and the Latvians was forced to land in Bombay (Mumbai) and a customs case is still outstanding in that area.

The West Bengal Home Secretary, Amit Kiran Deb, said that while they had received the president's release order, there had been a procedural delay.

The release document says all cases against Mr Bleach, and those filed by him against the Indian authorities, must be cleared up before he is allowed to leave the country.

Most of the cases in Calcutta have been sorted out, but one filed against him in Bombay is still to be addressed.

Officials in India say that as the courts are closed on Sunday and Monday for the Muslim festival of Eid any release will not come before Tuesday.

"We have cleared the release of Peter Bleach," Mr Advani had said, after meeting Mr Blunkett.

"There had been a long-standing demand that Peter Bleach be released."

The UK Government had requested a pardon for Mr Bleach last year but it was rejected.

Wish granted

Mr Blunkett said: "In Britain I normally have a reputation of keeping people in jail.

"I'm very pleased that the minister has agreed to let someone out, which will improve my reputation with the liberal media tremendously at home."

That was my biggest wish for this year that my son would be coming back Oceana Bleach

Mr Bleach's mother said she "hoped and prayed" her son's release would "come to fruition".

Speaking from her home in Scarborough, Yorkshire, she said: "I am very thrilled.

"That was my biggest wish for this year - that my son would be coming back. He has never lost his spirit that he is fighting for his freedom and for his justice as well."

Mrs Bleach said she was too ill to go to India to meet her son.

Soon after hearing the news of his release, Mr Bleach celebrated by distributing sweets among his fellow prisoners in a Calcutta jail.

Arms drop

He was arrested for dropping rifles, rocket launchers and hand grenades from a Russian transport aircraft over the Purulia region on the night of 17 December, 1995.

He was convicted in January 2000, along with the five ethnic Russian Latvians, of conspiracy to wage war against India and sentenced to life imprisonment.

The Latvians were pardoned after Russian President Vladimir Putin intervened in the case.

"He should have been freed with the Russians of course", added Mrs Bleach.

"There was substantial discrimination, I think."

The alleged mastermind of the air drop conspiracy, Danish national Niels Christien Nielsen, has never been brought before the Indian courts.

Indian police said last year they had evidence that the Dane, alias Kim Davy, was in Denmark, but complained they had received no co-operation from Copenhagen on extraditing him.