Three held over Cambodia killing

Three people have been arrested in connection with the death of a British man in Cambodia, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has said.

Mines clearance expert Chris Howes, 37, from Backwell near Bristol, was killed after being kidnapped in 1996.

Mr Howes, and his interpreter Houn Hourith, were abducted while clearing mines for a British-based aid agency.

The FCO said it welcomed the arrests, but could not comment further during the investigation.

We have never, ever recovered from this. The pain is permanently with us

Roy Howes

News agency AFP reported that a Cambodian military general was amongst those arrested.

Khem Ngun was charged on Tuesday with pre-meditated murder, it reported the Khmer-language Rasmei Kampuchea as saying.

At the time the communist Khmer Rouge were battling government troops in the final years of Cambodia's civil war.

Mr Howes was given the chance to leave his kidnapped team of 20 deminers from the Mines Advisory Group to retrieve a ransom, but refused.

Embassy pleased

Associated Press also said Khem Hgun had been arrested, and named another detainee as Loch Mao.

Mr Howes' 80-year-old father, Roy, told AP that he was pleased with the arrests, not only for himself and the interpreter's family, but also "for the people of Cambodia".

"These people have wrecked my family. We have never, ever recovered from this. The pain is permanently with us."

The British Embassy in Phnom Penh welcomed the arrests, a spokesman said.