Authorities in Malta on Saturday arrested a group of retired British soldiers who were heading to Libya via Malta, Malta Today newspaper reports.

The military contractors, consisting of 14 ex-British soldiers, included Jack Man, a friend of Prince Harry. The police intercepted the group while boarding a private jet to transfer them to Libya.

The Maltese authorities got skeptical about the group's identity when they found them carrying forged training certificates.

According to the publisher, a private contractor coordinated the trip on the grounds that they were going to Libya to give lectures and medical training.

The Maltese authorities pressed no charges against the mercenaries, but they were deported from Malta and forbidden from using Maltese airspace to travel to Libya.