The judge presiding over the prosecution of an Afghan man facing death for converting from Islam to Christianity said on Thursday that he would resist any interference, despite mounting international condemnation.

As per New York Times, a day after President Bush mentioned the case, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan to discuss it "in the strongest possible terms," said the State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack.

"She called specifically on this topic," Mr. McCormack said, "and she urged President Karzai's government to seek a favorable resolution to this case at the earliest possible moment."

But Ansarullah Maulavi Zada, the judge who heads the public security tribunal in Kabul, said, "There is no direct pressure on our court so far, but if it happens we will consider it interference."

He added that he expected to rule in the case in the next several days.

The case involves Abdul Rahman, 41, whose family opposed his attempt to regain custody of his two daughters and apparently told authorities last month that he had converted about 15 years ago. The resulting furor has exposed the unresolved tensions in the Bush administration's effort to meld democracy and conservative Islam in Afghanistan.

It also threatens to become a political liability for both the American and Afghan presidents.

For Mr. Bush, who finds support for his war effort in Iraq waning, the case could further alienate his political base among those in the Christian right, who have already accused the administration of putting too little pressure on Afghan officials.

For Mr. Karzai, the case traps him squarely between his Western backers and Afghanistan's conservative religious council, the Ulema, an important source of domestic support.

Full story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/24/international/asia/24convert.html?th&emc=th