THREE Vietnamese who are challenging the Government's power to keep them locked up have been granted legal aid to take their fight to the Privy Council in London.

The landmark case, scheduled for four days, is expected to be heard in October. The boat people say Vietnam will not take them back because they are ethnic Chinese. They claim the Government has no power to keep them detained in the camps indefinitely. The three are Tan Te Lam, 44, Phung Hoan, 59, Ly Hue My, 29, their spouses and seven children. They will now seek a London QC to represent them. The shortlist is understood to include leading human rights lawyers Geoffrey Robertson and Sidney Kentridge.