Testimony from Pakistan in US terrorism trial

Miami, Feb 11 (AP) Defence witnesses are set to testify from Pakistan in the South Florida trial of a Muslim cleric charged with financially supporting the Pakistani Taliban. The first of up to 11 witnesses will testify today from an Islamabad hotel. The testimony will be beamed to a Miami federal courtroom via video hookup. Defence lawyers will ask questions in Pakistan, with prosecutors doing cross-examination using the video feed. The unusual arrangement was made necessary when several witnesses for 77-year-old Hafiz Khan could not travel to the US. Others face US charges and refused to come. Khan is charged with funnelling at least USD 50,000 to the Pakistani Taliban. Defence witnesses will testify the money was not for terrorists but for the needy and victims of violence in Pakistan's Swat Valley region. (AP) NKP NKP 02112129 NNNN