LONDON. Mar 2: Britain announced Wednesday that it was allowing eight of the passengers on board the hijacked Afghan airplane that landed at a London airport last month to stay in the country, reports

Home Secretary Jack Straw said he was granting "refugee status" to two of the former hostages, one of the men's wives, and their five children, on the basis that they had reason to fear for their lives.

However he turned down asylum requests from a further 27 people and their five dependents. saying he was "not satisfied that they have a well-founded fear of persecution."

The fate of the other passengers asking for asylum has yet to be decided. The 14 people charged with taking part in the hijacking are to be prosecuted before their asylum applications are dealt with.

The families do. however, have a legal right of appeal, and will be able to remain In Britain pending a final ruling

They were among 79 people from the 164 on board the flight who are seeking to remain in Britain claiming that they would face persecution if re turned to Afghanistan.