Eight Western aid workers accused of preaching Christianity in Afghanistan will receive a fair trial despite the threat of US military action against the ruling Islamic militia, Taliban Chief Justice Noor Mohammad Saqib said Sunday.
Speaking to the aid workers during only their second appearance in court since the trial began last month, Saqib also promised they would not be discriminated against because they were not Muslims.
"The United States, without any proof or evidence, has been threatening Afghanistan and its guest," Saqib told the court, referring to the Taliban's ally, Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden.
"The present situation will have no impact on the court. This will be a fair trial."
The trial has continued despite the September 11 suicide hijackings in the United States and subsequent US demands to Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to hand over bin Laden, accused of masterminding the attacks.
Washington has also demanded the release of the aid workers -- two Americans, two Australians and four Germans -- who were arrested along with 16 Afghan colleagues in early August.
So far the fundamentalist Taliban regime has refused to bend to either demand, responding instead with calls for holy war if the United States makes good on its threats of military action.
The foreigners appeared in court Sunday to formally appoint a defense lawyer, Atif Ali, of Pakistan, and hear the allegations against them.
Ali was given up to 15 days to prepare the defense case and meet the prisoners, who protested their innocence during their first appearance earlier this month.
"We have been assured of full cooperation ... it seems very fair," said Ali, who met the accused for the first time on Saturday.
The detained workers are Germans George Taubmann, Margrit Stebnar, Kati Jelinek and Silke Duerrkopf, Australians Peter Bunch and Diana Thomas, and Americans Heather Mercer and Dayna Curry.
Under the Taliban's radical brand of "Islamic" law, the maximum penalty for trying to convert Afghan Muslims to another faith is death. The militia has refused to explain the exact charges against the aid workers.
Taliban officials initially said Duerrkopf was too sick to appear in court Sunday but she was later produced before the judge and the bench of Islamic scholars along with the other prisoners.
The accused refused to answer questions from the media who were allowed to watch the proceedings.
After his first meeting, Ali reported that the prisoners were being well treated in Taliban custody.
"They were in good health and good spirits. They were very happy to see us," he said -- KABUL (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
