NO-HEADLINE

The troubled trial of Erich Priebke, the former Nazi SS captain who took part in the Ardeatine Caves massacre outside Rome in 1944, ground to a halt yesterday as the chief prosecutor accused the judges' bench at the military court of bias and criminal activity. Prosecutor Antonino Intelisano submitted what he said was written evidence that one of the three judges was implicated in a crime.

Other prosecutors complained about the cursory treatment of some witnesses and said they had growing suspicions that the verdict had been decided in advance. The trial, which had been drawing to a close, is now suspended until 10 July while an appeals court considers the allegations. If they are accepted, the whole process will have to start again. Andrew Gumbel - Rome