Trial of Egypt's Mubarak, Muslim Brotherhood chiefs adjourned

The retrial of toppled President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons for inciting murder during the 2011 uprising in Egypt was today adjourned till mid-September while the trial of Muslim Brotherhood leaders jailed for instigating violence last year was also deferred to October 29.
The re-trial of 85-year-old Mubarak and co-defendants - including former interior minister Habib El-Adly - on charges of inciting murder of over 800 people during pro-democracy uprising were held at the Police Academy here amid tight security.
The trial was adjourned after the prosecutor-general's office presented new evidence against the defendants.
The court ordered the formation of three different committees to inspect evidence provided by prosecutors against defendants until the next session on September 14.

One committee is to inspect the evidence related to corruption charges regarding the illegal acquisition of villas by Mubarak and his two sons.
Another committee will inspect charges related to the case of selling gas to Israel at below-market-prices. The third committee will examine material evidence related to the killing of protesters during the 18 day uprising that led to the ouster of Mubarak, Ahram Online reported.

Mubarak arrived at the court by a helicopter to attend the sixth session of his trial for the killing of protesters.
State-run television footage showed him in the defendants' cage along with his co-defendant the interior minister, six security chiefs and his two sons - Gamal and Alaa. The trial also includes accusations of wasting public funds by selling gas to Israel at low prices.

Mubarak was released from jail this week but placed under house arrest by interim prime minister Hazem el-Beblawi. He is being held at a military hospital in Cairo.
He was convicted last June and sentenced to life in prison, but a retrial was ordered in January after he appealed. He could face the death penalty in that case, and is also facing charges in several corruption cases.
Meanwhile, another court adjourned the trial of Muslim Brotherhood chief Mohammed Badie and his deputy Khairat el Shater and others.
Badie, his deputies and many other leading figures of the Islamist group are facing trial for killing the protestors in front of the presidential palace last December during the tenure of ousted Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

70-year-old Badie - known as the Brotherhood's "General Guide" - and deputies were not produced before the court due to security reasons following which their trial was adjourned to October 29 minutes after it opened today.
The Brotherhood leaders were arrested following the ouster of president Morsi on July 3 by the army and a deadly crackdown on the group by military-backed government that left nearly 1,000 people dead.