As US bombs rained down on Baghdad last night, a group of American college students was in Bermuda safely sheltered from the war.

But like their families and friends back home, they have been agonising over the merits of the conflict and, like the nation itself, are completely split.

The 23-strong lacrosse team from Wheaton College, a small liberal arts college near Norton, Massachusetts, has been fiercely debating the Iraqi war during their weeklong stay on the Island.

And their coach Rebecca Begley said yesterday that the soul-searching her team is going through in Bermuda mirrors the great war debate in the US.

“They are really split at home. After September 11, the country was about being aggressive, but now it is pretty split. Our campus, our town, and where I live is pretty split,” she told The Royal Gazette as the team had lunch at Number One Shed in Hamilton.

“As college students they are pretty politically motivated, and we have very devoted Republicans and very concerned Democrats in the team.

“Everyone is a little nervous and apprehensive and they want to go home, but we know we are safer here right now.”

The team is due to fly home tomorrow through Washington D.C. and all are concerned about a terrorist threat to the capital and want to see if they can get their flight re-routed to Boston.

Caddie Jackson, 20, who organised anti-war protests at campus, said: “I am not an advocate of violent forms of retaliation and I feel that killing people is not the answer to what is going on.

“We have a responsibility as a country, but at the same time I think our government is really making decisions that don't have respect for human life.

“It's hard being here because we are very distanced from our families.

“The news has been on here and we've seen it, but when we go back home it's going to be everywhere. “Deep down, I was hoping it wouldn't really come to this and I really can't believe it has. It's horrible.”

She revealed that the lacrosse team is a strong unit, despite the differences, and even the girls who support the bombing have joined anti-war demonstrations on campus to stick together with their team-mates.

“My roommate, who is for the war, and I were doing our 100 push-ups in the room and at the same time we were really arguing and others were coming in and joining in.

“It was a frustrating feeling, but it was good to crank out that emotion in a friendly way. We're all in this together, regardless of how we feel about it.”

Team-mate A.J. Vasiliou said: “I am not for war, no one should be, but we have to protect ourselves.

“I am not packing my bags and leaving the US. I feel very secure. It could be smallpox or anthrax used, so a very different kind of warfare is needed.

“It's scary, but you have to take a stand. If the US looks like a sheet in the wind it will look weak to opponents. If it looks weak to Iraq, it will look weak to North Korea or France or Germany.”

Kyla Graves, 20, said: “It's pretty horrible. My roommate did think it would happen and here we are now bombing these poor Iraqi people.

“I am most definitely against the war. It is not the right thing to be doing. I don't feel any danger here in Bermuda, but I'd rather be back home. A lot of people just want to be home safely, and hopefully the plane will be safe.”

Sarah Young, 23, said: “It is very nerve-wracking, especially as going home we are routed through D.C. and we are trying to get the flight changed.

“It was a choice between coming here and Disneyland for spring break and Disneyland is just shut down.

“I'm against the war. I don't want anyone to be hurt, but matters need to be taken care of because Saddam is just out of control.”