Judge Bernard Saint-Vil tells The Associated Press that he is still considering the legal fates of detained group leader Laura Silsby and her nine freed compatriots.

The office of U.S. Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho — home state of most of the missionaries — and the U.S. State Department said last week that the charges had been dropped against the nine freed Americans.

However, Saint-Vil on Monday called such pronouncements premature. He says he is waiting for prosecutors to finish a review and will then make his final decision.

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