Bermuda Regiment commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel David Gibbons warned that deserters ran the risk of being sought out and arrested this weekend if they failed to attend the next recruitment camp.

He said the regiment would be out in force over the next few days to chase up people who had repeatedly failed to show up for conscription - and said arresting people while they were at work, home or out socially had not been ruled out.

But he said also being targeted were those men who had previously deferred service, as well as those in Holding Company - who had been conscripted but who had then decided to defer their service because of college or work commitments.

About 600 names of those on the `wanted list' are set to appear in The Royal Gazette today and the Colonel reminded people that men up to the age of 32 were eligible to serve.

Some 200 of the names are of young men who failed to show up at the recruitment camps in January of this year, and of last year.

Holding Company accounts for 270 of the names, where people are believed to have come to the end of their work and college commitments, but failed to return to the regiment.

And there are about 180 men who had previously deferred their service altogether, but then failed to sign up at a later date.

They are all destined to be named in the Press. Lft. Col. Gibbons said: "What we are basically saying is come to us before we come to you.

"With the very unfortunate events of September 11, hopefully, there won't be a need for the regiment in Bermuda to be called upon, but we need to be ready. Young Bermudian males need to recognise that they have an obligation, as well as a moral responsibility, to serve their country.

"We want these people to take this as a warning that we are looking for them and we intend to ensure that recruitment camp in January is full. We want to do it in a very fair and even-handed way, and so would urge them to come to us, instead of waiting for us to reach them."

Lft. Col. Gibbons said at the start of October some conscripts arrived to register, but the turn-out was disappointing, with only 65 people being registered for the next recruitment camp in January. However, the regiment is looking to have 150 young men in the next consignment, and so is urging others to turn out next Tuesday or Wednesday night when they can register.

In the meantime, they are asked to contact the Defence Department or the regiment at Warwick Camp to inform administrators of their intent to sign up to prevent unwelcome visits at the weekend. He added: "We are at a stage that is of some concern. Over the last two years, we have close to 200 people who should have done regiment, but have not. Some we are still trying to identify because they are away at school, but others are not. We are looking for people this weekend and we will arrest people where necessary, but obviously we much prefer it if they came to us and register."

And he warned that men who fail to carry out their regiment service could find themselves in court and receiving substantial fines and even jail terms.

Men can sign up for the regiment between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. next Tuesday and Wednesday at Warwick Camp. To inform the Defence Department or the Bermuda Regiment of intent to serve, call 238-1045.