The verdict in the trial of former President Hosni Mubarak, charged with ordering the killing of protesters in the uprising that swept him from power, will be delivered on 2 June, Judge Ahmed Refaat said on Wednesday.
Interior Minister Habib al-Adly, who is also charged with killing protesters during the 25 January revolution, said Wednesday, “An internal and external conspiracy was organized to use protesters to overthrow the regime.”
State-run Nile News reported quotes from Adly’s address to the court. The channel said Adly elaborated for an hour and a half on the alleged conspiracy.
State newspaper Al-Ahram’s website quoted Adly as saying, “I swear to God that I’m telling the truth and that I’m not trying to shirk responsibility for the crime.”
He said security bodies learned of plans to organize peaceful protests on 25 January and notified the president and cabinet of the demonstrations.
Adly said he held a meeting on 20 January 2011 with former Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif, Defense Minister Hussein Tantawi, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit, Information Minister Anas al-Fiqqi, Communications Minister Tareq Kamel and Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman on instructions from ex-President Mubarak during which they agreed to cut off communications to properly secure the protests.
Adly denied accusations that he cut off communications. He said the decision was to curb protesters from heading to Tahrir Square, where several vital establishments are located, and to protect the lives of the protesters themselves.
Adly said he gave clear instructions to officers not to use live ammunition against protesters except in cases of legitimate self-defense.
Earlier during the session, the attorney general forwarded a parliamentary report to the court Wednesday that said Tora Prison has the necessary medical facilities to treat former President Mubarak and he can be transferred to the prison hospital.
During his trial on charges of killing protesters, Mubarak has been spending his detention at the military-run International Medical Center due to health conditions.
But under public pressure, the Health Committee of Parliament’s lower house, the People’s Assembly, inspected the hospital at Tora Prison on 15 February to see whether it has the necessary medical facilities to care for Mubarak. The committee issued a report earlier this week affirming that it is suitable.
“We inform your honor that [the Tora Prison] hospital is ready to receive the primary defendant, Mohamed Hosni al-Sayed Mubarak,” the report to the court said.
State-run news agency MENA reported that after reading the letter, Refaat argued with of the plaintiffs’ lawyers who had previously questioned the court’s competence.
The dispute forced Refaat to adjourn the session after two minutes, and the lawyer’s colleagues wrote a memo to the court saying he does not represent them.
