MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Detained in Ushuaia for trashing Argentine flag

Three foreigners remain detained and incommunicated in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego after having torn and trashed an Argentine flag from a local downtown pub, which happened to belong to a Malvinas war veteran.

Englishman David Fleming, 20, Australian Benjamin Sargent, 28 and South African Darren Redden, 28, last Thursday night after having drank too much at the Galway pub swiped the flag from the mast, stepped on it and finally dumped it in a dustbin.

Tourists who witnessed the incident called the local police.

The three are awaiting a ruling from local Judge Maria Cristina Barrionuevo and federal Judge Eduardo Belforte who could send them to jail for "desecration" of the national pavilion which carries a one to four years jail sentence. Another option is have them expelled from Argentina.

On Friday morning the three refused to be questioned by Judge Barrionuevo under the accusation of "theft". With the participation of a trained interpreter the group finally collaborated and the local Judge extended the accusation to include a federal crime, "abuse" of national pavilion and symbols, and called in Federal Judge Eduardo Belforte.

Ushuaia press indicated that the three embassies will provide legal assistance and that Buenos Aires lawyers are expected to arrive this weekend.

"Imagine is this had happened with an Argentine in London or in Malvinas. The punishment would be exemplary. Our judicial system should act in the same way", said Tierra del Fuego Malvinas Veterans president Carlos Boneti who described the incident as "despicable".