Dissident's mother to speak at trial

The mother of Wang Dan, the detained Chinese dissident who has been charged with plotting to overthrow the government, said she would be part of his defence team at his forthcoming trial.

In a robust stance against the Chinese judicial system, Wang Lingyun, 61, said she would would defend her son against an ancillary charge of collaborating with overseas subversive forces. Mr Wang, 26, will also be defended by a lawyer. There seems little chance of Mr Wang being found not guilty. "I'm not optimistic," Mrs Wang said. "But I must say it for the record. This will become history." Teresa Poole - Peking