Millions shocked as Mubarak goes on trial in Cairo

THE HISTORIC trial of ousted Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak began yesterday in Cairo’s criminal court, which met in the police academy.

The only time the former president spoke during the four-hour proceedings was to affirm his presence and to “deny categorically” the charges lodged against him.

Contrary to the expectations of many Egyptians who never believed he would appear, he was flown by military helicopter to Cairo from the hospital in the Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, where he has been since April.

To the amazement and shock of millions of Egyptians watching the trial, Mr Mubarak was wheeled on a stretcher into the dock, the large metal cage common in Egyptian courtrooms. Few had envisaged seeing him in the cage, normally reserved for dissidents and Muslim fundamentalists.

Although attached to a medical drip, the former president did not appear weak or wasted in spite of doctors’ claims that he had been on hunger strike and near death. His hair had been dyed black and he was alert, closely following arguments. Outside the compound several hundred pro- and anti-Mubarak activists sparred and threw stones at each other.

The former president, like his sons Alaaa and Gamal, was dressed in the white uniform worn by accused persons. They stood beside him and attempted to block the cameras’ view of him. The court session was being broadcast live. Former interior minister Habib al-Adly and six of his aides, who are also on trial, sat on wooden benches on the other side of the cage.

Mr Mubarak and Mr Adly are charged with conspiring to use deadly force against protesters during the 18-day uprising, killing 846 and wounding thousands. If proven, both could face execution. Mr Mubarak and his sons are charged with corruption in relation to the sale of five mansions and two million metres of public land. They are also charged with collaboration over the sale below market prices of Egyptian natural gas to Israel. A co-defendant in the graft case, tycoon Hussein Salem, awaits extradition from Spain.

The three-member panel of judges chaired by Ahmed Refaat quickly lost control of the courtroom where scores of lawyers for defendants and victims clamoured for attention.

Fareed al-Deeb, acting for Mr Mubarak and Mr Adly, called for them to be tried separately and read out a list of military personnel he said should be called as witnesses.

Civil rights advocates representing the families of those killed or wounded during the uprising insisted that their clients be admitted to the court during the entire trial. These lawyers surprised the bench by calling for Field Marshal Muhammad Hussein Tantawi, who exercises presidential powers, and chief of staff Sami Enan, to be subpoenaed. The military feared such a demand because of the pro-Mubarak role played by the armed forces during the early stages of the uprising.

Judge Refaat concluded the hearing by announcing that the trial of Mr Mubarak, his sons and Mr Salem would be adjourned until August 15th in order to deal with requests put by contending groups of lawyers. The separate murder trial of Mr Adly and his aides is set to resume this morning.