International Pressure Won't Affect Ruling on Converted Christian Afghan

|PIC1|The Afghan government says it is up to the judiciary to decide the fate of Abdul Rahman, 41, who might face the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity. The judge presiding over the prosecution added Thursday that international pressure would not affect his rulings in the case.

U.S. President George W. Bush said on Wednesday he was "deeply troubled" about the case. Mr Bush issued a statement saying that the United States expected Afghan officials to "honour the universal principle of freedom" in the case. Germany, Italy and other countries that have deployed troops in Afghanistan have also issued statements of concern.

The Italian foreign minister and deputy prime minister, Gianfranco Fini, said Tuesday that he had received assurances that Rahman would not be executed, but he did not elaborate.

Meanwhile, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, based in Washington, called for Rahman's release, saying that the Koran supported religious freedom and that Islam was never compulsory.

Khaleeq Ahmed, deputy spokesman for Afghan President Hamid Karzai said: "The judicial system is an independent system.

"This is a case that the family of the person brought against him. We are watching it closely and Afghanistan also respects human rights."

In other news, prosecutors, echoing earlier comments by the judge, said questions had been raised about whether Rahman was mentally fit to stand trial.

His mental health was questioned by the judge earlier in the week and on Thursday prosecutor Sarinwal Zamari said there were doubts about whether he was fit to stand trial under Sharia law.

He told the Associated Press: "We think he could be mad. He is not a normal person. He doesn't talk like a normal person."

But Mr Rahman told the court: "They want to sentence me to death and I accept it, but I am not a deserter and not an infidel. I am a Christian which means I believe in the Trinity."