Four suspected terrorists in Bermuda claim they were victims of American immigration officers out to get them.

The group's spokesman, Tahir Choudry, yesterday said the terrorist claims were fabricated to prevent them leaving the Island.

It followed an ugly scene at Bermuda International Airport with a woman US immigration official, he claimed.

"She had a severe attitude and told me `you are not going anywhere'. I think she acted out of spite,'' said 27-year-old Mr. Choudry, who works in real estate in Pakistan.

"I was upset and she was upset and she actually got two guys, one from Customs and another from Immigration, to manhandle me.'' Mr. Choudry now faces being booted from Bermuda with two of the other Pakistani nationals on Tuesday. A fourth one is expected to leave tonight on British Airways.

The men's Island visas have expired.

Nobody from the US Immigration Department was available for comment. A spokesman said the port director, who normally speaks to the Press, would be back at work today.

Meanwhile, Government, Bermuda Police and local Immigration officials yesterday appeared to distance themselves from the terrorist allegations.

Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness said: "I'm not the one creating the language about them being terrorists.'' But he stressed the men had drawn attention to themselves through their behaviour in Bermuda.

"They were staying in guest houses, not allowing anybody to enter their rooms, and wanting the maid just to hand them towels. They also changed some of their airline scheduling.

"And when they attempted to go into the US, they were stopped and questioned.

That heightened everybody's concerns.'' Said Bermuda Police spokesman Sgt. Chris Wilcox: "There is no evidence to suggest they are terrorists.

"Police assisted Immigration on Friday to detain them after their visas expired.

"They are illegal immigrants and Police bailed them.'' Acting Chief Immigration Officer Dr. Martin Brewer believed the terrorist suspicions stemmed from a "piece of speculation''.

"Inquiries were made, and nobody who would have information on them had any information on them.'' Dr. Brewer said efforts were being made to fly the four men -- who claim they have been on holiday -- back to Karachi, Pakistan, via London.

"We hope they will be able to leave in the next few days.'' Britain, America and Jamaica had initially refused entry to the men.

The Royal Gazette understands the countries' authorities feared the men would seek political asylum.

But yesterday Britain changed its stance, signalling it would accept the men, if they travelled on to Karachi.

UK Home Office spokesman Andrew Silverman declined to comment, saying: "We can't discuss individual immigration cases.'' A British Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: "The authority to whom any questions should be made has to be the Bermudian Immigration authorities. We only act on the periphery of this issue. That's all I can say.'' The four Pakistani businessmen, staying at a Pembroke guest house, are Mr.

Choudry; Mohammad Samma, 32, who also works in real estate in Islamabad; Asiz Maan, 21, from Sahiwal, Punjab, a cotton salesman; and 23-year-old Kashif Ahmad, who owns a car repair workshop.

Samma -- twice taken to hospital suffering from claustrophobia and a high fever while in detention -- is expected to leave Bermuda tonight.

Before flying through London to Bermuda last month, the men had visited ex-Communist countries of Turkmanistan and Ukraine.

They said they had planned to fly to the Bahamas and then to Cuba from Bermuda, before returning home via the Island again and London.

But the men were stopped at Bermuda's airport by Immigration officials last week. They claim their property was searched and they were strip searched.

The men were locked up from Friday night until Sunday afternoon.

Sgt. Wilcox said nothing was found on the four during searches which could link them to terrorist organisations.

The men were later released on bail and told to report to Hamilton Police station on Saturday.

"They answered Police bail on Tuesday pending Immigration department inquiries and rebailed.'' Sgt. Wilcox suggested suspicions about the men may have been fuelled by the length of time they had been in Bermuda.

Pakistanis plead for end to ordeal "They have been here about a month. It's unusual for any tourist from Pakistan to come here.'' Sgt. Wilcox said the men may leave Bermuda under Police and Immigration escort.

Said Dr. Brewer: "We are trying to help the men get bookings to Gatwick on to Pakistan.

"The flights are very full out of London to Pakistan, perhaps because of the Test match between England and Pakistan.

"If we can get them booked through London then they will be able to go out that way.

"British Airways initially refused to take them, because Gatwick immigration refused to take them.'' From Gatwick, the men would fly home via Kiev using Ukraine International Airlines.

Dr. Brewer said original fears the men would seek political asylum in London had been allayed.

He added they were not going to be charged with being illegal immigrants.

"That would not serve any purpose. We don't want to deport them. We want to make arrangements so they can leave as quickly as they can.'' Dr. Brewer understood the group came here on holiday, looking to go south to the Islands. But they didn't realise there were no direct flights.

"I don't know why the US refused them entry. I think they couldn't fathom out why four Pakistanis would come to Bermuda to get to the Caribbean.'' Dr. Brewer said the men were advised not to fly to Jamaica on a charter flight because they only had leave to stay in Bermuda until August 1.

"They had planned to come back to Bermuda on August 12.'' Dr. Brewer defended the way the men have been treated in Bermuda.

"I am sure they were upset by the treatment, but the initial information was quite frightening. We took what steps we thought necessary.'' A British Airways spokesman declined to comment.

"We would not divulge any information about passengers.'' Mr. Edness said last night: "We are trying to help these men leave the Country and get their travel documents in order.'' He said several problems stood in the way.

"One difficulty is that there are no airline offices in Bermuda for the airlines they need after getting to Gatwick.'' Mr. Edness said it was uncertain whether the men would be escorted by Police or Immigration officials.

Mr. Choudry said the group now just wanted to leave Bermuda.

"We don't want to prolong the whole thing, we want to go back, but we believe we face the prospect of arrest in London because of everything that has happened.'' Mr. Choudry said the group had received treatment in Bermuda normally associated with Communist countries.

"We were actually treated well in the former Communist countries we visited.'' He added: "It is garbage to say we did not cooperate. We fully cooperated.

"We don't have criminal records and have never been arrested before. We are not linked to any terrorist organisation.'' Mr. Choudry said the group had used cash and credit cards for their trip.

But he doubted whether they would have enough money to pay for the airline tickets and hotel bills.

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