Eight British SAS men seized in Libya - by Rebels

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Eight SAS men in undercover mission are seized - by the rebel forces they went

to help

By Leake

An eight-man SAS team was being held by Libyan rebel forces last night after

being captured as they accompanied a junior British diplomat on an undercover

mission which ended in embarrassment.

The elite troops had been escorting the diplomat through rebel-held territory in

the east of Libya as he tried to make contact with opponents of Colonel Gaddafi.

The diplomat had intended to pave the way for a more senior British official to

establish diplomatic relations with rebel forces.

But last night the young Foreign Office employee and his armed SAS escorts were

locked up inside a military base in Benghazi, the largest city held by opponents

of Col Gaddafi.

It is understood the SAS incursion into rebel-held territory infuriated

opposition politicians, one of whom told them to warn Cameron's Government

that it should recognise the opposition as Libya's legitimate leaders before

attempting to open negotiations.

Sources admitted last night that there was huge embarrassment in Whitehall that

the SAS mission had backfired.

But there was confidence that the SAS team and the diplomat would be released

unharmed within 24 hours after the rebels had made their point. There were no

plans last night for a second SAS team to be sent in to secure the release of

their colleagues.