MIAMI - A U.S. judge wants a Muslim cleric to stop making rambling speeches in his trial on charges that he helped finance the Pakistani Taliban.

U.S. District Judge Robert Scola admonished Hafiz Khan again Thursday to answer a prosecutor's questions directly. The 77-year-old cleric frequently speaks at length against the U.S. government for bringing terrorism support charges against him and sometimes has insulted the prosecutor personally.

Khan is testifying in Pashto with an interpreter in his own defence for a third day. He is charged with providing at least $50,000 to the Taliban.

Khan has testified that he opposes the Taliban and that money he sent overseas was for innocent purposes.

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