Foreigners return to Islam court

KABUL - The trial of eight foreigners accused of trying to convert Afghan Muslims to Christianity resumed yesterday, with the Taleban chief justice saying the threat of attack by the United States would not influence the court.

"I now want to say to you again that the current developments in the face of America's possible attack will not affect the proceedings of the trial," Justice Noor Mohammad Saqib told the eight.

"There will be no discrimination or injustice against you."

Justice Saqib said the eight - four Germans, two Australians and two Americans - would be tried on the basis of Islamic law.

"The decision of the court will be based on Islamic justice without taking into consideration differences between Muslims and non-Muslims."

The trial was adjourned from Saturday because the arrival of Pakistani defence lawyer Atif Ali Khan had been delayed by uncertainties surrounding the threat of attack by the US in pursuit of Saudi-born fugitive Osama bin Laden.

The United States has vowed to hunt down bin Laden - its chief suspect in the devastating September 11 attacks on New York and Washington - and punish his Taleban protectors.

That threat has complicated the plight of the eight foreigners, who all worked for the aid agency Shelter Now International and were arrested in August and charged with promoting Christianity, which can carry the death sentence.

They have denied the charges.

Armed Taleban fighters brought the defendants to court yesterday.

They were dressed in traditional Afghan clothes and seemed well, although German Silke Duerrkopf did not show up, saying she was feeling ill.

But Associated Press reported that the court sent for her at a Kabul detention centre, saying her presence was necessary.

She subsequently arrived, looking pale.

Mr Khan was given between three and 15 days to prepare the defence case.

"We have been assured of all cooperation ... the charges, the evidence, anything that we need will be provided to us," he said.

Chief investigator Mohammed Umer Hanif read the charges aloud and recited a list of items that had been seized from the aid workers' offices, including what he said were cassettes and reading material related to Christianity.

The eight are Americans Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer, Australians Peter Bunch and Diana Thomas, and Germans Georg Taubmann, Katrin Jelinek, Margrit Stebner and Duerrkopf.

Mercer's mother, Deborah Oddi, said she was encouraged.

"This is something we have to go through," she said.

"There's no way to avoid it, so any movement is good because it's getting us closer to the end.

"Whether they're found guilty or innocent, we're just hoping the Taleban will be merciful and at the very worst expel our children."

She said her daughter had written a letter, dated September 25, asking that US retaliation for the hijacked plane attacks wait until the workers had been freed.

"All eight of us want to live."

- REUTERS

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