Dutch police detain Greenpeace activists over missile protest

Dutch police have detained 12 Greenpeace activists for demonstrating outside the US embassy in The Hague without a permit, says the environmental group.

The activists were protesting at Sunday's test of the US missile defence system and the arrest of 17 Greenpeace demonstrators in California.

They carried banners saying: "Stop Star Wars, free our Greenpeace Activists."

After being questioning at a nearby police station, the activists are expected to be released later today.

Among those detained was the head of Greenpeace Netherlands, Harry Crielaars, and Greenpeace members from Australia, Britain, Japan and Italy.