UK consulate in arms row

Israel said last night it had charged two local employees of the British consulate general in Jerusalem with arms trafficking as part of an investigation into an alleged plot to fire a rocket into a football stadium.

A British Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman confirmed the arrests and said Britain was urgently seeking confirmation of the charges.

"We have been told by the Israeli authorities that the investigation into our two employees is unrelated to the work they do," the spokesman said.

Israel's Shin Bet security service said the two Palestinians were indicted recently in connection with an alleged plot by two other Palestinians to attack Teddy Stadium, home to Jerusalem's Beitar football team, with a rocket.

The Shin Bet said the consulate employees helped two alleged Hamas members, who were charged in court yesterday, to obtain guns.

No rockets were found by Israeli authorities, who said the plot to attack the stadium had been in its preliminary stages.