LONDON - Britain has apologized to six men close to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf for mistakenly detaining them on suspicion of terrorism at London's Gatwick Airport.
The men were held for more than 17 hours.
London's police said in a statement that the men -- one of whom was identified as Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain, a member of a leading Pakistani political family -- were detained Jan. 22 after flying in from Barcelona, Spain.
The men were later taken to a London police station, where they were formally arrested by counterterrorism officers. They were released Jan. 23.
Britain's Foreign Office said Chaudhry Wajahat Hussain and his fellow-travellers were arrested on the basis of information that proved subsequently to be inaccurate.
It added that the British government deeply regrets the incident and "is sorry for any personal distress that was caused to the individuals concerned.''
