THE Greeks may have lost their marbles long ago - they are in the British Museum - but they are not stupid. If there wasn't some kind of a case to be brought against the British aircraft spotters - be it actual, or for some nefarious political reason - then they wouldn't do so.

Aircraft spotting may be a harmless past-time in our country, but it certainly isn't seen as such in many other countries, and when carrying out the practice overseas one has to be very careful to respect the host country's laws, whether we think they are silly or not.

It has been reported that the group had "written permission" to be where they were, doing whatever it was they were doing, but we have yet to see the actual document.

Nor does it seem to have been admitted that at least some of the group carried one or other of the following (and being an aircraft spotter myself I do know about these things); a camera, a notebook filled with scribbled notes listing tail numbers and other data; an airband radio; a pair of binoculars. Any of which could be used as an excuse for labelling someone a spy.

I sympathise with their plight, and do not doubt they will be released eventually, but what they are experiencing is just one of the hazards associated with their hobby when practised overseas.

Just be thankful it happened in a relatively "friendly" country; things could have been much worse.

Dave Taylor,

Lower Darnborough Street,

Updated: 11:52 Friday, December 07, 2001