Evidence supports charges against Mubarak

A man shows slippers showing pictures of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, his son Gamal and former Interior Minister Habib el-Adli with nooses, at the police academy where Mubarak is on trial in Cairo January 4, 2012.  [Photo/Agencies]

CAIRO - Egyptian prosecutors said on Wednesday that strong evidence supported the charges of murdering protesters against former President Hosni Mubarak and some former government officials.

The general prosecution confirmed that conclusive evidence supported all charges against Mubarak, former Interior Minister Habib el-Adli and Adli's six aides over the killing of demonstrators during the unrest in January 2011 in ways of participation, incitement and assistance, Prosecutor Mustafa Suleiman said.

Investigation results showed these crimes could not have been committed had there not been direct incitement from the defendants, he said.

Mustafa said the prosecution had strong evidence, including witnesses' testimonies and forensic reports, to confirm the targeting of demonstrators.

Technical reports showed demonstrators were "peaceful" but police forces used live ammunition and rubber bullets in addition to vehicles that ran over the protesters, he added.

Mubarak's arrival at the court was delayed for about three hours due to the foggy weather. As usual, he was flown by a helicopter to the Cairo Police Academy where the trial is held, from the International Medical Center in the eastern suburb of the capital.

Suleiman said the general prosecution was keen to achieve justice and accused the interior ministry and national security agencies of deliberately refusing to cooperate.

Mustafa Khatar, another prosecutor, said the prosecution body listened to more than 2,000 witnesses, including police officers and physicians who saw dead bodies and some injured protesters.

The general prosecution said there is evidence showing that Mubarak, Adli and his aides had an agreement on supplying the police with guns and ammunition to kill some protesters so as to intimidate others.

On Tuesday, Suleiman told the court that Mubarak established a corrupt regime which destroyed the country's political life and dedicated his efforts to hand power to his son Gamal during last decade of his rule.

Following protests across the country, Mubarak resigned on February 11, 2011. Official figures showed that 846 people died and more than 6,000 were injured during the unrest.

Mubarak, Adli and Adli's aides face charges of ordering and complicity in the killing of protesters. Meanwhile, the 83-year- old ex-president, his two sons Alaa and Gamal and fugitive businessmen Hussein Salem are accused of corruption, profiteering, and exporting gas to Israeli at unreasonably low prices.

The defendants have appeared at court several times since their trial began on August 3, 2011. But they denied all the charges. Head of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) Hussein Tantawi and former Vice President Omar Suleiman have testified in previous sessions.

The trial had been postponed as some plaintiff lawyers demanded the change of presiding judge Ahmed Refaat. The appeal, however, was rejected by Cairo's Court of Appeals on December 7, 2011 and the trial resumed on December 28.

According to the state media, if convicted, Mubarak will face a death penalty.