Carlos lawyers pull out

Three lawyers representing Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, known as Carlos the Jackal, withdrew from his trial in Paris yesterday. The manoeuvre seemed to be part of a strategy to reduce the trial to a farce. The presiding judge ordered the principle defence lawyer, Isabelle Coutant- Peyre, to continue in the case and made a formal complaint to the Paris bar when she refused. The president of the bar also ordered her to resume her duties but she again declined. Ms Coutant-Peyre said she was withdrawing because the court had delayed judgement on her complaint that key witnesses were being withheld from the trial. The hearing continued without the three lawyers.

Ramirez Sanchez is accused of the murder of two French secret service agents and a Lebanese informer in Paris in June 1975.