Russia postpones U.S. 'spy' trial

Pope suffers from a rare form of bone cancer

MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) -- A Russian court has postponed the trial of a U.S. spy suspect for the second time in a week on health grounds.

Edmond Pope was given two days off from the two-week-old trial on Tuesday but was unable to attend Friday's court session after developing pains in his joints.

However, doctors for the prosecution said he was still fit to appear in court.

The 54-year-old former naval intelligence officer, who is accused of gathering secret data about a high-speed Russian torpedo, suffers from a rare form of bone cancer.

Pope's lawyer Pavel Astakhov told journalists the that his client was again unable to come to the court on Friday because his condition had worsened and that the judges had ordered a medical examination.

But the FSB domestic security service -- successor to the Soviet-era KGB -- said the examination had been carried out and had determined Pope was fit to appear in court.

An FSB spokesman said the checks had been held in a clinic belonging to the Kremlin. The head of the medical team of the Lefortovo prison, where Pope has been held since April, had concluded that his condition was satisfactory.

Interfax news agency quoted sources as saying that Russian doctors had examined Pope for a reemergence of the cancer and had found no new traces.

Astakhov said earlier he was seriously concerned Pope was developing symptoms that suggested a resurgence of his cancer.

Interfax quoted Astakhov as saying a prison doctor appointed by the FSB had reported that Pope had lumbago on his left side and acute joint pain in the spinal area and moving into his left leg.

And he cast doubt on whether doctors at the prison would be able to determine the seriousness of Pope's condition.

The U.S. expressed hope on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would take Pope's health problems into account and send him home. President Bill Clinton has previously appealed to Putin on behalf of Pope, but Putin said the court must decide.

A senior U.S. State Department official cited the court's refusal to grant Pope access to an English-speaking doctor and its denial of U.S. access to prison doctors' findings as examples of his mistreatment.

Pope, who faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted, denies the charges brought against him and says he was researching information freely available in Russia

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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Federal Security Service
U.S. State Department

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