300 English hooligans fail to hand in passports 06/06/2006 00:00

6 June 2006

BERLIN - More than 300 football hooligans have failed to comply with orders to hand in their passports before the start of the World Cup, the UK Home Office said Monday.

Officials voiced concern that some of them might already have left the country for Germany, where the tournament gets under way on Friday.

More than 3,300 English fans with records of violence are subject to banning orders, which required them to hand in their passports at police stations a week ago.

An estimated 100,000 English fans are expected to make the trip to Germany for the World Cup, where England are expected to do well.

Police said they were looking for around 200 hooligans after tracking down and arresting 100 who failed to hand in their passports.

Details of the hooligans have been passed to police at British ports and airports. Authorities in Germany and possible transit countries have also been alerted.

Those subject to banning orders are required to report to their local police stations on England match days and face jail sentences of up to six months if they fail to do so.

DPA

Subject: German news