Bosnian authorities today handed over to the US embassy six Arabs who had been detained in the country on suspicion of involvement in terrorism but whose release was ordered by a local court, a Bosnian official said.
Mr Ivica Misic, head of Bosnia's anti-terrorism team, said the six Arabs were handed over to US embassy staff early today. He could not say whether they had already been taken out of the country.
"Bosnian authorities have handed over six Arab suspects to representatives of the US embassy early this morning," Mr Misic said.
A Bosnian court yesterday ordered the release of the six, five Algerians and a Yemeni, who had detained by local police in October on suspicion of involvement in international terrorism and links to the al Qaeda network of fugitive Osama bin Laden.
A US defence official said yesterday that US troops would take control of the six Arabs after their release. "We intend to take custody as they are released individually," the official said.