Three members of Bermudians Against the Draft defied orders to turn up to Warwick Camp yesterday.

The decision means the campaigners are subject to arrest by the Regiment or even jail time.

However, leader of the group Larry Marshall said they are maintaining their stance and the eleven other members of the group due to start Regiment service in October will not show up either.

"This is an obvious attempt to fracture the group's resolve," he said last night.

On May 24, the Privy Council, Bermuda's highest court of appeal in London, rejected BAD's case to get conscription abolished. The case had previously been rejected by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal on the Island.

The three members of BAD had all completed some time in the Regiment before their legal action. They were temporarily deferred from military service while they pursued the case through the courts.

However, they were told in a registered letter dated May 27 that they are now required to resume service, and to attend an interview with the Regimental Sergeant Major no later than yesterday.

The letter from the Regiment warned: "Should you fail to comply with this order, you will be subject to arrest."

None of the men attended their interviews.

The group is planning fresh legal action either in Bermuda, on constitutional grounds, or in the European Court. Mr. Marshall feels the Regiment should give them more time to pursue those avenues before ordering them to resume service.

"What I want to stress is the dictatorial manner in which the Regiment has treated these young men since the outset," he said.

"We only received the ruling on May 24 and it's always been our stated goal to go to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary. It's impossible to prepare a case on that level in only two weeks, yet we are receiving these threatening letters.

"They are deliberately trying to disrupt the legal preparations."

One of the three men in question, Jamel Hardtman, complained that the issue is disrupting his academic preparations too. He is currently studying for exams in statistics in order to begin an MBA course in Global Business Leadership at Johnson and Wales University, Rhode Island, this summer.

"For me, they have no regard for my education," he said last night.

Regiment spokesman Major George Jones told this newspaper on Wednesday that an original order telling the men to turn up by noon on Friday May 28 had been let slip. He explained that was because the Regiment did not have up-to-date contact details for them, but registered letters were subsequently delivered advising of yesterday's deadline.

"At present only three members of BAD are current serving soldiers of the Bermuda Regiment, and following the recent Privy Council decision they are required to resume their service immediately," he said.

"Failure to comply with the written instructions, sent to them directly and through their attorney, to report to Warwick Camp will constitute a breach of their statutory obligations, and will be addressed in accordance with the relevant legislation."

Major Jones did not respond to requests for further comment in response to Mr. Marshall's remarks last night.