20000404

15 tried for

infecting HIV

to Libyan children

TRIPOLI: Six Bulgarian medics and nine Arabs accused of deliberately infecting nearly 400 Libyan children with the HIV virus are due in the dock again on Monday.

The trail first began in February, but was postponed at the request of the defence. Bulgarian officials say the defence will seek a further postponement to give lawyers time to properly examine 1,600 pages of prosecution material.

This is a highly unusual case. The medics were arrested more than a year ago during an investigation into an outbreak of Aids in a children's hospital in Benghazi.

Nineteen Bulgarians were detained at the time, along with other foreign and local workers. Most were later released, but the six Bulgarians, as well as eight Libyans and a Palestinian, were charged with intentionally infecting 393 children with the virus that causes Aids.

The Libyans say more than 20 of them have now died. If convicted of their murder, the defendants could face the death penalty.

Bulgaria has repeatedly said it does not believe its medics are quilty, and has called for a fair trial. A Bulgarian diplomat in the region told that it was out of the question that the Bulgarians could have acted deliberately, but said it was possible they had been negligent in some way. But he said there were many puzzling aspects to the case.ÑPPI