Aid workers' trial resumes in Kabul

Dayna Curry is one of eight Western aid workers jailed in Afghanistan.

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The trial of eight Western aid workers charged with promoting Christianity has resumed in the Afghan capital of Kabul after a three-week suspension.

The four Germans, two Americans and two Australians were arrested in early August, along with 16 Afghan nationals, and accused by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers of trying to convert Muslims to Christianity.

The Taliban's strict interpretation of Islamic law forbids anyone from converting Muslims to another religion.

But the trial was suspended after the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

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Western officials have not seen the aid workers since September 1, when some family members were allowed by the Taliban to visit for the first time since they were detained.

Their trial was scheduled to resume Saturday but had been postponed until Sunday because of legal procedures.

The aid workers, who all deny the charges, are members of the Shelter Now International assistance group.

'Eager' for trial

The aid workers' trial was underway when terrorists hijacked four jetliners and attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The United States accuses the Taliban of harboring suspected terrorists, including Osama bin Laden, who has been identified as a "prime suspect" in the attacks.

Diplomats from the United States, Australia and Germany, who had been in the region trying to secure the aid workers' release, left Afghanistan after the attacks because of possible U.S.-led military action in the region.

Pakistani attorney Atif Ali Khan briefly visited his eight clients on Saturday, the same day their trial was initially scheduled to start. Proceedings were delayed one day, Khan said, after he met with the Taliban's chief justice and other judges.

Khan said the eight were in good health and eager for the trial to resume.

"They are good, all of them are well," Khan said. "They were really happy to see us and they would like the trial to proceed."

Khan said he gave one of the detainees some asthma medicine and also gave them letters from their families.

Regarding their feelings about the court proceedings, Khan said, "They have confidence that the trial will be fair and judicious."

Asked when he expected a verdict in the trial, he said, "It should not be long, but I don't know for sure."

The parents of the two American aid workers asked U.S. civil rights activist the Rev. Jesse Jackson last week to travel to the area to secure their daughters' release, along with the six others.

Jackson said Friday he felt it was not the right time to travel to the region, adding he would "continue to talk with ministers and clergy around the world to work and pray for a peaceful conclusion."