Egypt’s Mubarak returns to court amid chaotic scenes

Ousted Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak on hospital bed in court on Monday

Egypt’s Mubarak returns to court amid chaotic scenes

The adjourned case involving ousted Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, reopened on Monday with Mubarak arriving in a hospital bed in a Cairo court.

Mubarak, 83 was wheeled into the courtroom's steel cage on a gurney, wearing a navy blue sports sweater.

He is facing charges over the killing of protesters during the 18 days uprising in February.

Trial session dwells on choosing witness

Legal expert, Mahmoud Khoudeiry, said the trial judge, Ahmed Refaat, was expected to spend Monday's session choosing names from a long list of witnesses demanded by lawyers.

Report says the hearing could decide if the head of the ruling military council, Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, will take the stand as a witness.

Asked if Tantawi could appear as a witness in the court, he said testimony from any army officer would be aired live unless there are specific security concerns.

Defence lawyers say that any testimony by Tantawi on Mubarak's role in trying to suppress the 18-day uprising, in which about 850 people were killed, could decide the ex-president's fate.

Tantawi, who was defence minister for two decades under Mubarak, headed the military council that took power when Mubarak was ousted on February 11 by the mass protests.

The defence team

In the first court session, defence lawyers asked for Tantawi, former intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman and about 1,600 others to testify as witnesses.

A member of the defence team, who pleaded anonymity, said: "Tantawi's testimony would help the court determine whether Mubarak gave orders to Interior Minister Habib al-Adli to fire at protesters or whether Adli was acting independently."

"It is important for the court to meet the requests of the defence team, especially the request to hear the accounts of Field Marshal Tantawi in court to determine whether. Mubarak asked him to confront and fire at protesters or not," the lawyer said.

"The defence team sees Tantawi as a compurgator, or a witness whose testimony would exonerate Mubarak. The plaintiffs' lawyers, however, expect him to testify that he received orders to fire, which is necessary to convict Mubarak," another lawyer handling the case said.

Lawyers for the families of those killed have also demanded that Tantawi should testify.

Mixed reactions

There were reports of mixed reactions as tension was running high outside the conference building in a Cairo suburb before Mubarak arrived.

Notwithstanding the hundreds of riot police, who stood guard, fist fights broke out between Mubarak's supporters and a group demanding justice for those killed in the uprising.

Both sides traded insults and some in the pro-Mubarak crowd threw rocks.

While the protesters were shouting: "Judge wake up! Mubarak killed my brothers! Execute the killer!” the supporters were chanting: "He is Egyptian until death" and "Hosni Mubarak is not Saddam."

"I want people to read their history and know what this great man has done for us. He kept Egypt stable. He has been humiliated but he is weathering the storm with pride," said Ehab Sameh.

However, a police officer, Ali said: "The silent majority are much more than those few pro-Mubarak folks. The silent majority wants justice for the years of corruption."

Some in the crowd demanding swift justice for victims of the uprising held ropes tied in a noose and held up the two-finger victory sign.

"I don't know any of the victims but when I saw their photos, I thought they could have been my children. I can't stand the thought of young people dying," said housewife Saidia Saeed.

Medical reports issued after Mubarak was taken to a hospital following initial questioning in April said he was suffering from heart problems, depression and fainting fits.

Meanwhile, Mubarak has since denied all accusations during the opening session, which was aired live and counted as his first public appearance since February 11.

REUTERS/Shakira/Williams