Egyptian military ruler testifies in Mubarak's trial

CAIRO - The chairman of Egyptian Supreme Council (SCAF) of the Armed Forces, Hussein Tantawi testified on the trial of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Saturday morning, state TV reported.

Tantawi, who used to serve as defense minister of Mubarak's regime, gave his testimony behind closed doors with a ban issued by presiding judge Ahmed Refaat on media covering.

Tantawi confirmed Friday that he would testify at Saturday's trial session.

Mubarak, his two sons, former interior minister Habib el-Adli and six of his aides appeared on Saturday's court.

The Cairo Criminal Court was supposed to respectively summon Tantawi on September 11, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Sami Anan on September 12.

But the hearings were postponed to September 24 and September 25 due to the country's security situation after the storming of Israeli embassy by Egyptian protestors.

Mubarak, who was forced to resign on February 11 due to mass protests against his decades ruling, has appeared in several sessions of the trial since August.

The ousted president was charged with ordering to kill protestors and corruption.