Aid workers face Afghan court

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Afghanistan's ruling Taliban has brought eight foreign aid workers accused of promoting Christianity to court for the first time.

"They just entered into the court building... before their arrival, diplomats and their relatives also reached the court room to witness the proceedings," the reporter said.

He said security surrounding the detainees was tight.

Accompanied by armed guards from the Taliban's ministry for the promotion of virtue and prevention of vice, or religious police, a van holding the two foreign men and six women was driven through the gates and into the compound of the four-storey court building.

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The accused were taken from the van, when the six women could be seen covered with shawls in accordance with the Taliban's strict dress code for women, Reuters news agency reported.

The trial began its fourth day on Saturday after a day's break because of the Muslim day of prayer in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.

Twenty-four staff from German-based Christian relief agency Shelter Now International -- 16 Afghans, four Germans, two Australians and two Americans -- were arrested five weeks ago on charges that could carry the death penalty.

Western diplomats acting for eight aid workers have been frustrated up until now by their lack of contact with the accused and the secrecy that has surrounded the trial.

Afghans warned off foreigners

Families have not had access to their loved ones since last weekend when the workers were moved to another jail.

As well as the eight Westerners, 16 Afghan aid workers working for the same organization -- Shelter Now International, based in Germany -- have also been arrested and charged with the same crime.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry has not indicated when the Afghans might face trial.

Their cases are being dealt with separately from their Western counterparts.

In the past two weeks the Taliban have shut down two other aid organizations accused of preaching Christianity, expelling their foreign workers.

On Friday, the Muslim Sabbath, Taliban Chief Justice Noor Mohammad Saqib warned hundreds of the faithful in Kabul's largest Mosque to beware of foreigners, saying they were using charity to entice Muslims to Christianity.

The detainees have been identified as SNI country director Georg Taubmann, Katrin Jelinek, Margrit Stebner and Silke Durrkopf, who are all German; Australians Peter Bunch and Diana Thomas; plus Americans Dayna Curry and Heather Mercer.