Sixteen men and women pleaded not guilty in beard- and hair-cutting attacks against fellow Amish in the US state of Ohio.

SEVEN men from an Amish splinter group in Ohio were arrested on federal hate crime charges yesterday, accused of involvement in humiliating attacks on fellow Amish involving cutting off their beards and hair.

The leader of an Amish group whose members are accused of going into the home of another Amish man and cutting his hair and beard has said it is a religious matter and police should not be involved.