The trial of eight foreign aid workers accused of promoting Christianity in Afghanistan resumed today and their lawyer was set to present their defence after a one-day delay to translate his rebuttal, officials said.
However, Supreme Court Chief Justice Maulawi Noor Mohammad Saqib had yet to appear in the court and it was not clear how the trial would proceed in the capital, Kabul, which has been under attack by US-led forces for seven days.
The Pakistani lawyer for the eight, Mr Atif Ali Khan, had presented his written defence in Arabic.
"It will start as soon as he brings the defence either in Pashto or Dar", Chief Justice Saqib said.
Taliban sources said the eight foreign aid workers were all well and safe after seven nights of a US bombardment on Afghan cities, with much of the fire concentrated on military and strategic targets around Kabul.
Two Americans, two Australians and four Germans - all working for German-based Shelter Now International (SNI) - were arrested in early August on charges of promoting Christianity.
The charges -- which all eight have denied -- can carry the death penalty, but lawyer Mr Khan has said he was optimistic the judge would show compassion if they were convicted.
Chief Justice Saqib has promised the trial will be fair despite the raids, although other Taliban officials have said previously that Kabul would consider releasing them if US aggression was stopped.
There has been no word on the fate of 16 Afghan SNI staff arrested at the same time.
The foreign detainees are Australians Mr Peter Bunch and Ms Diana Thomas, Americans Ms Dayna Curry and Ms Heather Mercer, and Germans Mr Georg Taubmann, Ms Katrin Jelinek, Ms Margrit Stebner and Ms Silke Durrkopf.