Exiled Honduran president leaves for home despite military's orders

Tegucigalpa: The Honduran president has flown home on a small jet, defying a military order from the government that ousted him to prevent the plane from landing.

The UN General Assembly president planned to be his only international escort.

Several other planes were leaving Washington separately to avoid a direct confrontation, trailing Zelaya to see what happens in the skies over Honduras before deciding where to land.

They include two planeloads of journalists and a group of Latin American presidents flying with the secretary-general of the Organization of American States.

Thousands of protesters descended on the airport on Sunday in the Honduran capital in anticipation of the showdown. Police helicopters hovered overhead.