CAIRO ? The leader of Egypt?s interim military government gave testimony behind closed doors Saturday in the trial of toppled president Hosni Mubarak, offering what could be pivotal accounts on charges that Egypt?s former leader was complicit in the killing of protestors during the uprising that led to his ouster.
The testimony of Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi ? Mubarak?s longtime defense minister who took over as head to the interim military council after the former president?s fall in February ? came amid a highly charged atmosphere, with families of victims killed in the uprising and pro-Mubarak supporters rallying outside the heavily-guarded courtroom
Tantawi appeared, however, under a court-ordered media blackout, with journalists and cameras barred from the courtroom and the details of his testimony shrouded in official secrecy. Though some have lauded the court?s willingness to compel such high level officials to testify, there were clues on Saturday that Tantawi?s words may not have proved as damning to Mubarak as activists have hoped.
First, the morning proceedings were suddenly moved up by 90 minutes without informing the lawyers of families of victim?s killed during the uprising, who were kept outside for 45 minutes of security procedures while Tantawi was giving his hour and a half testimony, according to Amir Salem, one of the victim?s lawyers who was present in the courtroom.
?The goal was to prevent lawyers [for the families] from attending,? Salem said.
Judges proceeded to ask Tantawi 10 questions, but the only two questions submitted by prosecutors were rejected as inappropriate. In addition, lawyers representing victim?s families were not permitted to question Tantawi, Salem said.
Salem and other lawyers linked to the case declined to characterize Tantawi?s testimony, fearing they might be held in contempt of court. But in an indication their faith in the trial was quickly failing, lawyers representing victim?s families filed an immediate request for a new panel of judges to hear the case following Tantawi?s testimony.
Tantawi?s session was briefer than those of some other military officials thus called, some of whom were grilled for hours. His appearance was rescheduled after he indicated an earlier date, Sept. 11, did not suit his schedule.
In addition to Mubarak, his former Interior Minister Habid el Adly and a half dozen top security officials are also facing complicity charges.
Mubarak?s trial is scheduled to resume on Sunday, when the ruling council?s deputy chief and army chief of staff, Sami Anan, is set to testify. The secrecy surrounding his testimony appeared to feed into the growing skepticism about the trial among the family members of the hundreds of victims killed during the uprising against Mubarak.
?I?m frustrated because it was secret,? said Yasser Abdelal, whose brother, Gharieb Abdelal, was killed in January as the protests against Mubarak grew. ?We used to know from lawyers what?s going on inside, but now, lawyers are not allowed to speak to anyone, their telephones are monitored and there is no broadcasting of information under penalty of punishment. We don?t know what happened but I fear that Tantawi spoke for the service of Mubarak, and said that he did not give the orders to kill.?
Special correspondent Muhammad Mansour contributed to this report.
Source: http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/click.phdo?i=564c90aa50f4c988ff997c5c0e6aa1ca
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