Trial for Aung San over American intruder

PLAY VIDEO – Suu Kyi charged over US intruder (AFP), American John Wm. Yeattaw

(AP/AFP) YANGON, Burma – Myanmar's Nobel Prize-winning pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi [pronounced "Ong-Song Sue-Chi"] faced new charges today less than two weeks before her house arrest was due to end after an American man swam across a lake and entered her home, her lawyer said.

Supporters accused the military government of using the incident to keep her in detention ahead of general elections scheduled next year.

• Slideshow: Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi

Suu Kyi, whose detention was set to end May 27, could face a prison term of up to five years if convicted, said lawyer Hla Myo Myint. The trial is scheduled to start Monday at a special court at Yangon's notorious Insein Prison, where she was arraigned Thursday.

She is accused of breaking the terms of her detention by harboring the visitor for two days, even though another of Suu Kyi's lawyers said she told the man to leave her home.

"Everyone is very angry with this wretched American [John William Yeattaw, 53]. He is the cause of all these problems," lawyer Kyi Win told reporters. "He's a fool." [Of course, Yeattaw is just an excuse being used by the military junta, who are using him as a pretext for extending Suu Kyi's detention after the maximum length of an untenable house arrest was exhausted]. More>>

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