After being held at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Eve Leary for several hours, around fifty US missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints were released last evening and have been given 30 days by the government to leave the country.

In a day of high drama that saw many members of the church detained at CID Headquarters and singing lustily at times while US embassy officials interceded on their behalf, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a statement last night to clarify the issue.

The ministry denied a report which it said purportedly originated from the US embassy that the missionaries were being expelled because “they were engaged in espionage activities”.