Prosecutor Accuses Security Forces of Interfering in Mubarak Trial
The Egyptian prosecutor in the trial of former President Hosni Mubarak accused the military-led government’s internal security forces of obstructing his case, suggesting internal divisions among law enforcement officials over whether to defend or turn against their former boss.
“They deliberately sought to mislead justice,” the prosecutor, Mustafa Suleiman, told the court, sitting in an improvised courtroom in a Cairo police academy, according to news agencies and people who were present. The state security apparatus “deliberately refused to cooperate with the prosecution,” he was quoted as saying.
Without the cooperation of the interior ministry or the leaders of the security police, the prosecutor said, he was forced to conduct an independent investigation to gather evidence and build a case against Mr. Mubarak, his interior minister and other top officials. They are being tried on corruption and murder charges, including responsibility for the killing of hundreds of demonstrators during the 18-day uprising that ended Mr. Mubarak’s rule.
In addressing the court, Mr. Suleiman asserted for the first time that Mr. Mabarak and his top internal security officials had made an explicit decision to use live ammunition against peaceful demonstrations on January 27 — two days after the protests broke out, and the day before they reached a bloody climax known as “Friday of Rage” that ended in the collapse of the police.
As evidence, the prosecution offered video images obtained from private television networks, showing security police officers loading weapons, government vehicles running over demonstrators, and police gunmen firing down from rooftops. In one video, an officer is seen killing a demonstrator with a bullet to the head.