 The last passengers from Nairobi have landed in the UK |
The suspension of UK flights to and from Kenya was sparked by a specific threat by terror network al-Qaeda to British Airways, a Kenyan minister has said.
The UK Government halted flights by British airlines to the east African country on Friday amid fears an al-Qaeda terrorist attack on a British jet was imminent.
Kenya's national security minister said the threat had been directed at British Airways planes flying to the capital Nairobi.
"Intelligence reports received indicate that British Airways was a target of attacks - that is why they took such pre-emptive measures but we are assuring them and other international airlines that Kenya has stepped up security everywhere," said Kenyan minister Chris Murungaru.
He added that the "timeframe" for the attacks was from this week until the end of May.
The Kenyan flight ban was introduced as the Foreign Office issued a new warning of a "clear terrorist threat" in six East African countries - Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda.
 We are now working with the British High Commission in Nairobi to assist any Britons who want to get home  |
On Friday, Kenya Airways stepped in and offered to lay on extra flights to take home Britons stranded by the ban.
Hundreds of British tourists are trying to make arrangements to leave the country.
Kenya Airways - which has maintained its flights because it said the threat was specifically against British interests - is hoping to help Britons leaving the country.
"We are now working with the British High Commission in Nairobi to assist any Britons who want to get home," said Kenya Airways spokeswoman Sally Peters.
"We are looking at the possibility of putting on extra planes and if we need to do so, we will."
The British High Commissioner, Edward Clay, said everything is being done to help British tourists stranded in Kenya.
Mr Clay said even though the Kenyan security minister had criticised the ban, he recognised the threat of attack was great.
"We are the biggest sender of tourists to this country. It's a disappointment to us too," Mr Clay said.
Kenya Airways operates daily services between London and Nairobi.
British holiday companies have cancelled all bookings to Kenya for the next seven days.
Graham Lancaster, a spokesman for the Federation of Tour Operators, said holiday companies had managed to get in touch with practically all Britons taking breaks in Kenya.
"We hope that the ban will be lifted soon, but that is a matter for the Foreign Office."
The last British Airways flight to leave Nairobi touched down at Heathrow Airport on Friday morning, with 228 people on board.
HAVE YOUR SAY I feel cancelling flights is the wrong thing to do |
But as many as 1,200 British tourists are thought to have been left behind in Kenya.
The Kenya ban followed warnings from the US about possible terrorist attacks throughout East Africa and south-east Asia.
The alert came after Monday's suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia which killed 34 people.
On Friday, the US widened its terror warning, saying it had received details of a specific threat against an area of the Saudi city of Jeddah.
The Foreign Office has set up an advice helpline on 020 7008 0000
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