Egypt's once widely feared interior minister Habib El-Adli stands accused of issuing orders to kill pro-democracy demonstrators in Tahrir Square on 28 January and of peddling influence for profit, reports Gamal Essam El-Din Habib El-Adli, the longest-serving interior minister during the reign of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, refused responsibility for issuing orders to security forces to use live ammunition against pro-democracy protesters on 28 January. Indeed, some press reports have claimed that El-Adli has said he was under orders from Mubarak's son Gamal to shoot at protesters and foment chaos and lawlessness. Four of El-Adli's aides have denied that they ordered security forces to fire on protesters. Cairo's former security chief Ismail El-Shaaer; former head of central security forces Ahmed Ramzi; former director of general security Adli Fayed and former director of state security investigation Hassan Abdel-Rahman all claim they lacked the authority to issue such an order. Abdel-Rahman, fired from his position 10 days ago, claims to have submitted a report to El-Adli advising him not to attack the protesters and arguing "there should be a political rather than security response to pro-democracy demands." Ramzi has stated that he received orders from El-Adli to open fire on protesters. "At first we used tear gas but when we saw that the extent of the demonstrations I informed El-Adli that we could not open fire," says Ramzi. Ramzi, El-Shaaer, Fayed, and Abdel-Rahman were remanded into custody two weeks ago. On Monday the prosecutor-general ordered that they remain in detention for an additional 15 days. Many believe that El-Adli used special forces to kill the Tahrir Square demonstrators on 28 January. Stationed on the roofs of high-rise buildings in Tahrir Square -- including the American University in Cairo (AUC), the Ramses Hilton Hotel, the Tahrir Complex building and the old headquarters of the Arab Socialist Union -- eyewitnesses say live ammunition was fired at the heads and necks of demonstrators in an attempt to disperse the massive crowd. El-Adli has defended himself, insisting that when he was told of the extent of the demonstrations he ordered security forces to withdraw. "Security personnel were attacked by demonstrators and thugs and had to defend themselves," said El-Adli. "When many police officers and central security forces were killed in the battle with demonstrators I gave orders that they should withdraw as soon as possible in order to prevent a bloody massacre on the streets of downtown Cairo." "Police officers were asked to safeguard public buildings and services against vandalism and to open fire only if faced with a potentially lethal attack." "Gangs of thugs stormed police stations, burning offices and buildings, leaving security forces in a very difficult position." The fact-finding committee investigating the events of 28 January tells a different story. It has said that there is clear evidence that police officers and security forces were under orders to fire on peaceful demonstrators. "Up to 685 people were killed," and more than 5,000 protesters seriously injured, says the fact-finding committee's report prepared by Mohamed Fayek. El-Adli is also accused of giving orders to police officers to allow prisoners to escape in order to spread fear among the public. The committee's report accuses El-Adli of exploiting emergency laws by brutally attacking protesters. On Monday the families of demonstrators killed or detained during the 25 January Revolution staged a protest before the prosecutor-general's office in downtown Cairo, calling for El-Adli to be prosecuted more speedily and for him to be held accountable for the use of torture by the security apparatus during his tenure as minister. The families also demanded that security personnel who fired at protesters be tried. El-Adli is also accused of corruption. During the first hearing session held at Cairo's Criminal Court he pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundry and profiteering. The session lasted just 15 minutes before the judge adjourned the trial till 2 April at the request of El-Adli's lawyer. Bank accounts belonging to El-Adli and his family were frozen early last month. Like many other senior officials of the former ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) El-Adli is banned from travelling abroad.
