Abou Lamia, representing the members of the French group Zoe's Ark, said four Chadians would also stand trial for attempted kidnapping.

Charges were dropped against 11 suspects who had been released, a legal source said. These were the seven Spanish crew of a plane chartered to fly the children to Europe, three French journalists and a Belgian pilot.

The six French nationals detained in Chad on October 25 started hunger strike on Friday night, refusing food but drinking water. They said no one was listening to their case and that they had been abandoned by the French government.

There has been a debate among legal experts in Chad in recent weeks as to whether the French aid workers should face criminal or civil charges after being arrested trying to fly the children, aged 1-10, out of the central African country. The six could face forced labor terms if convicted.


Agencies