"We were kept for 11 hours without being offered any food or drink other than water.

"It was quite outrageous to suggest we were in any way a security risk - our mission was of peace and reconciliation."

Dr Lynne Jones, whose party had intended to make a peace and reconciliation visit to Ramallah, said officials at Tel Aviv airport had even scanned children's books for explosives.

The women arrived back at Birmingham international airport at midnight last night following their deportation.

They had left Britain at 5pm on Saturday for the trip, which aimed to build links between Ramallah and the west Midlands following a number of fundraising efforts by Birmingham's Ramallah twinning committee.

Dr Jones stressed that the Israeli embassy had been fully notified of the group's plans, even being provided with their passport numbers in advance.

The MP added: "This visit has been planned since last year when a similar visit had to be cancelled because the same thing happened to the women involved. I got involved because of what happened last year."

Sitting near some of the children's books, which included titles such as Teddy's House and A Martian Comes To Stay, the politician said a variety of reasons had been given for the decision to deport the women.

"They said we needed a special permit to enter the Occupied Territories and then changed their tune.

"It was as if they were looking for any excuse."

Party member Samantha Owen, who works at Birmingham's central library, said the children's books had been collected to help build a library for youngsters in a refugee camp who had "absolutely nothing".

Kathryn Day, a children's centre worker from Birmingham, was the first to be quizzed by Israeli security staff.

As another of the women sobbed nearby, the 44-year-old said: "I was interviewed by a man who said his nickname was the Devil.

"He told me that he knew why I was here and that I had to tell him.

"I said 'We are just here for the twinning committee', but he just kept on and on at me.

"He threatened me with MI5 and said he was going to send me straight to MI5.

"I started crying because I really was terrified."

The twinning committee's chairman, Kamel Hawwash, said: "The delegation's visit was discussed at length with the Israeli embassy in London and details of the participants and their itinerary were provided to the embassy as requested.

"The women had gone to develop links between the citizens of Birmingham and the citizens of Ramallah and were due to meet Palestinian women and children's organisations.

"We had raised money for a children's library and nursery at a refugee camp in Ramallah and the women were due to check on the progress of these badly-needed projects."

A spokesman for the Israeli embassy in London said: "The group was informed verbally and also by way of written communication that we would not be able to guarantee their entrance. Nevertheless, the group decided to go."

To add authenticity to the clips - which appeared on the internet yesterday in what appeared to be a cynical attempt to drum up publicity - 'The Terrorism Awards' are hosted by BBC election veteran Peter Snow and Tomorrow's World presenter Philippa Forrester.

Introducing the nominees, Mr Snow says: 'Terrorism can be a lonely business, and a long hard struggle. Our three finalists in this category are ...'

After each clip is shown, there is the sound of applause and laughter - supposedly from the audience at the award ceremony.

The satire is the work of Armando Iannucci, who wrote the award-winning recent Whitehall comedy The Thick of It and was the co-creator of Steve Coogan's alter ego Alan Partridge.

Although Iannucci is known for his subtle parodies on the news and media - he produced The Day Today and On The Hour - his latest offering has provoked outrage from MPs of all sides. Andrew Dismore, Labour MP for Hendon, said it was 'absolutely sick.'

'At a time when people are dying for real on both sides in the Middle East, to try and make fun of what's going on is the worst thing imaginable.

'Nothing is more sick than attempting to make a joke out of people who are dying. It's beyond the pale.'

'The BBC governors should do something to stop this. And the fact that it could have been given approval by the BBC's editorial board is simply disgraceful.'

David Davies, Tory MP for Monmouth, said: 'It shows a distinct lack of taste and could even exacerbate the suffering of the July 7th bombing victims.

'The BBC receives a large amount of taxpayers' money and has a duty to use it responsibly. I can't see much comedy value in this at a time when all of us are at risk from terrorism.' The 'Terrorism Award' sketch features in episode three of the six-part series which starts tonight.

A preview of it, plus other sketches - including Dale Winton exploding and a mouse crawling out of Anna Ford's throat as she sombrely reads the One O'Clock News - yesterday appeared on the internet.

As well as the outcry over the terrorism sketches, the programme will also raise eyebrows in its use of BBC news readers and journalists to parody the news.

One sketch features genuine footage of Natasha Kaplinsky and Jeremy Bowen reporting on the Muslim protests over the cartoons of Mohammed. However it is interspliced with staged shots of protestors holding placards saying 'Death to Everything after the 8th century', 'Hunt down the sarcastic townies and gag them like badgers' and 'Jews glistening malignant polips.'

The BBC is usually very reluctant to allow its news readers or reporters to appear in films or fictional programmes. This time however permission was granted following a decision by the BBC's editorial policy department.

A BBC spokeswoman yesterday defended Time Trumpet, saying the sketches needed to be seen 'in the context of the whole series.' 'It is a satire set in the year 2031, looking back at the events and people of today,' he said.

'This particular [terrorism] episode tries to play tricks with visuals and make viewers question what is real and what is fake.

'Iannucci is a leading satirist and he's pushing the envelope. The scenarios are so ludicrous that viewers will immediately recognise them as satire.'

Bush offered US support to Cubans seeking democratic change following the hospitalization of leader Fidel Castro, who on Monday temporarily ceded power to his brother Raul, due to intestinal surgery.

"I urge the Cuban people to work for democratic change on the island," Bush said Thursday in his first comments since Castro stepped aside.

"We will support you in your effort to build a transitional government in Cuba committed to democracy, and we will take note of those, in the current Cuban regime, who obstruct your desire for a free Cuba," Bush added.

Cuba was on heightened alert Thursday, wary of a possible invasion by US-based Cuban exiles.

China has long been a supporter of Cuba and Castro.

On Tuesday, Chinese President Hu Jintao sent a message of good wishes to Cuban leader.

Speaking in Cornwall, Ont., the prime minister listed a number of initiatives his government has been able to push forward in the first session of Parliament.

These include:

* The introduction of tougher crime legislation.
* Cutting the GST.
* A child-care plan that provides a $1,200-a-year payment for every child under age six.
* The introduction of the Accountability Act.

But Harper made no mention of the deal he brokered with the U.S. to resolve the softwood lumber dispute.

Although Harper has previously hailed the deal, the final draft has since come under attack from lumber industry representatives in B.C., Alberta, Quebec, and the B.C. government. All have expressed various concerns.

Harper also did not comment specifically on his government's controversial position on the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict, referring only to the fact that the Liberals are divided on a number of issues, including the Middle East.

The prime minister has been criticized by some for firmly supporting Israel in its battle with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

But polls suggest a majority of Canadians don't agree with his position and that support for the Conservatives is dropping.

Harper said unlike the Liberals, the Conservatives take a stance on issues, which makes governing a "whole lot easier."

"It's hard to get things done when you don't know what you believe in," he said.