DAILY MAIL: A major security operation was under way today as a British teacher charged with inciting hatred and insulting religion was brought before a court in Sudan.
Trucks protected by armed police transported Gillian Gibbons from her cell at the CID headquarters in Khartoum where she had been kept in custody following her arrest on Sunday for allowing pupils to name a school teddy bear Mohammed.
Security was also tight at the city's court building as fears that extremists might stage a kidnap attempt ran high.
Mrs Gibbons, looking tired and distressed and wearing a dark blue jacket and blue dress, was not handcuffed.
Before the hearing began the public and press were cleared from the court room but only moments later the case was adjourned for two hours.
The prosecutor-general said Mrs Gibbons, whose case has drawn international condemnation, can expect a swift and fair trial under Sudanese law.
Mrs Gibbons faces 40 lashes and a year in jail after after being charged with insulting Islam.
She was charged after behind-the-scenes political moves to avoid a court case collapsed amid growing Islamic anger in the east African country.
A Sudanese official said it was "unlikely" that Mrs Gibbons would be convicted.
A powerful Sudanese newspaper urged authorities to call a hardline Islamist leader linked to Osama bin Laden to give evidence at her trial, to stress how offensive the case was to Muslims.
Extreme Islamic groups said Mrs Gibbons "must die" and urged Muslims to hold street protests after prayers tomorrow. >>> By Olinka Koster, Liz Hull and Rob Grilly
Mark Alexander
