Appeal opens on Afghan asylum ruling

Passengers on the hijacked 727 spent four days at Stansted Airport

A judge has begun hearing appeals from 32 Afghan men and women involved in the Stansted plane hijack who are contesting the rejection of their claims for political asylum.

The case is being heard at the Immigration Appellate Authority's London headquarters in Islington.

It could last for up to four weeks, with further appeals possible if this one fails.

None of the 32 people making appeals are being named and lawyers have indicated privately that the passengers felt they may be at risk of reprisals if their identities were publicised

Hijack drama

The passengers were among 170 people who arrived in Britain in February on a hijacked plane that had originally been on an internal flight from Kabul.

Almost half have returned to Afghanistan, while six people have been allowed to stay in the UK and some asylum cases are still being decided.

The taxpayer will foot legal costs for this case, which could run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The passengers, none of whom attended the hearing's start, are getting legal aid.

Formidable legal teams

Most are represented by either the Refugee Legal Centre or the Immigration Advisory Service - both publicly-funded bodies - and others are backed by individual firms of solicitors.

The Home Secretary, Jack Straw, is also represented by a legal team consisting of three barristers and a number of solicitors.

More than 12 lawyers gathered for the initial stage of the hearing before the three-strong Immigration Appellate Authority panel, consisting of judge Hubert Dunn, chief immigration appeals adjudicator for England and Wales, and two adjudicators.

The hearing's opening is likely to be taken up with legal argument and expert evidence about the political situation in Afghanistan.

Lawyers will give evidence about the potential retribution the Afghans face from the Taleban should they be forced to return to Afghanistan, or even a third country such as Pakistan.