Foreigners’ Trial Set to Resume in Kabul

KABUL, Afghanistan —  The resumption of the trial of eight foreign aid workers accused of preaching Christianity in Afghanistan has been put off until today, their lawyer said.

Pakistani lawyer Atif Ali Khan, representing the eight, said senior government officials in Kabul notified him of the delay. He had met earlier Saturday with the aid workers--two Americans, two Australians and four Germans--and said they were ready for the resumption of their trial.

Earlier last week, Khan and foreign diplomats were notified by Afghan officials that the proceedings, which started last month but were interrupted by the crisis over Osama bin Laden, would resume Saturday.

President Bush has demanded that Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers free the aid workers, detained since August for allegedly trying to convert Afghans to Christianity, a serious offense in this rigorously Muslim country.

Afghanistan is a likely target of a U.S.-led military strike because it shelters Bin Laden, whom the U.S. has named as the key suspect in the Sept. 11 terror attacks. A senior Bush administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed Friday that U.S. special forces were already conducting scouting missions in Afghanistan--a possible prelude to military action.

Khan, the attorney, said he delivered asthma medicine for U.S. detainee Heather Mercer. Mercer, fellow American Dayna Curry and the six other detainees work for the Christian relief agency Shelter Now. They insist that they were in Afghanistan to help the poor, not convert them.