Stockholm, 19 May 2007 - Ethiopia has freed Swedish nationals detained for several months on suspicion of terrorism after having allegedly fought alongside Islamic militants in Somalia, a Swedish foreign ministry spokesperson said on Saturday. Two Swedish nationals and one permanent resident in Sweden were released on Friday and arrived in Sweden at midday on Saturday, spokesperson Cecilia Julin told AFP.

Sweden has demanded the release of the detainees for several weeks and argued that the reason for their jailing had not been communicated officially. But on May 7, the Ethiopian government said it would not release them and that they would stand trial. The three people, who were not identified, were arrested at the start of the year in connection with the conflict in Somalia.

According to Swedish news agency TT, they were detained in Kenya after having fled Somalia, where Ethiopian troops intervened late last year to drive out Islamic militants who had taken control of the country's central and southern regions. Ethiopia had accused the three of having fought against its soldiers alongside Islamists, TT reported. In March, Ethiopia had released a 17-year-old Swede who had been arrested for similar reasons.

The Ethiopian government said last month that 41 people suspected of terrorism had been arrested in Somalia and transferred to Ethiopia. They included citizens of the United States, Tunisia, Rwanda, Syria, Uganda, Saudi Arabia and Tanzania.

Source: AFP