night vowing never to return.

"I love Bermuda and its people, but it has been very tense,'' said Mohammad Samma after arriving at Bermuda International Airport.

The 32-year-old added in faltering English: "I will never return, never. It has been very hard.'' Twenty-one-year-old Asiz Maan also shook his head when asked whether he would return.

"The Police have been very bad,'' he said, struggling to make himself understood.

The pair -- and their Pakistani friends Tahir Choudry and Kashif Ahmad -- have been at the centre of an ongoing mystery.

This week they claimed they were stopped from leaving the Island, locked up, strip searched and accused of being terrorists.

But Government, Bermuda Police and local Immigration officials have distanced themselves from the terrorist allegations.

Instead, they say the four were detained as illegal immigrants, their Island visas having expired.

The men, who arrived in Bermuda on July 5, were later released on bail and told to report to Hamilton Police station on Saturday.

Mr. Samma and Mr. Maan spoke to The Royal Gazette moments after a taxi dropped them off at the airport at 6.35 p.m.

Their British Airways flight to Gatwick, London, was scheduled for 8.10 p.m.

It is understood media reports about the imminent departure of the Pakistani nationals had sparked concern among some BA passengers.

They reportedly rang up BA's local office, worried about flying with the men.

But last night the scores of passengers queuing up to check in their luggage appeared oblivious to the two Pakistanis who arrived without an Immigration or Police escort.

Mr. Samma wore a grey-green sweat shirt and white trousers, while his friend had on a white casual top and black pants. They carried just hand luggage.

The pair did not appear to mind being photographed.

Looking distressed and upset, Mr. Samma repeatedly tapped his head as he told The Royal Gazette : "There has been much tension over the last few days.'' Mr. Samma said he and his friends had been on a vacation, visiting the ex-Communist countries of Turkmanistan and Ukraine as well as Bermuda.

"My holiday has been very bad, however. It has been very tense. You understand that?'' Pakistanis leave Island vowing never to return But Mr. Samma stressed he would leave Bermuda with some good memories -- particularly the kindness of assistant Cabinet Secretary Robert Horton who had helped the group through their ordeal.

"He is a very nice man. Please thank him for us -- a hundred times thanks.'' From Gatwick, the men will fly home to Pakistan via Kiev using Ukraine International Airlines.

Britain had originally refused entry to the men, fearing they would seek political asylum in London.

But these fears have now been allayed, according to Bermuda Immigration officials.

The pair's friends, Mr. Choudry, 27, and 23-year-old Mr. Ahmad, are expected to leave Bermuda on Tuesday.

Yesterday, Mr. Choudry also vowed never to return to Bermuda -- unless sent back on business.

"Bermuda is like Communist countries are supposed to be according to the newspapers.'' He also attacked claims by Home Affairs Minister Quinton Edness that the four Pakistanis had drawn attention to themselves through their behaviour.

Mr. Edness said the group had stayed in several guest houses, refusing people entry to their rooms, and asking maids just to hand them towels.

They had also repeatedly changed their flight plans, added Mr. Edness.

But Mr. Choudry hit back yesterday, saying: "We didn't have any hotel reservations when we came to Bermuda. The first place we stayed in came to $300 a day, so we moved to a cheaper place.

"That was still over $100 a day, so we found another place which was $100 a day.

"Is there anything illegal about changing guest houses? They're just trying to grasp at anything. That's why they keep bringing up these stupid things.

"They actually want to pin something on us and are groping around wildly.

They come up with completely off-the-wall stuff.'' Mr. Choudry said it was "completely 100 percent untrue'' to say people were not allowed in their guest house rooms.

"We never told maids just to give us towels.'' On the flight plans, Mr. Choudry said the group had planned to fly to Cuba and the Caribbean.

"We thought Bermuda was a stop-over place, but we found out we couldn't fly direct to these countries from here.'' Mr. Choudry believed the terrorist claims were fabricated to prevent the group leaving the Island following an ugly scene at Bermuda International Airport with a woman US immigration official.

Yesterday, nobody from the US Immigration could be reached for comment.

Mr. Edness, however, replied: "Naturally they are going to make allegations, and they are going to try to apportion blame.

"But the fact of the matter is the US Immigration stopped them going to the US and the British at one point didn't wish them to land in Britain. They were the authors of their own problems.'' Mr. Edness continued: "Let's assume they are naive vacationists. They certainly didn't plan their trip very well.

"They made changes to go to US and their behaviour here drew the wrong kind of attention.

"Let them make all the allegations they want but I think the Immigration authorities and the Police acted in the best interests of Bermuda.'' Mr. Edness said he was pleased that Bermudian authorities had enabled the two Pakistanis to leave.

"We were able to get all their documents in order -- something they couldn't do.'' Bermuda's Acting Chief Immigration Officer Dr. Martin Brewer declined to comment yesterday.

"We are trying to keep this quiet. The more said, the more excitement is created. We want to treat the Pakistani nationals as ordinary travellers.''