The lawyer of former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly on Saturday accused prosecutors of misleading the court by making contradictory and baseless accusations, Egypt's state TV reported. Lawyer Mohammed al-Guindi said Adly is accused of involvement in the so-called "Battle of the Camel," in which thugs attacked pro-democracy protesters in Tahrir Square on 2 February 2011, leading to the death and injury of scores. Guindi said that the Battle of the Camel is being investigated in a separate trial, adding that the Ministry of Interior was not in charge of security at the time because the army had by then been deployed in Egypt's streets. Former President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons Gamal and Alaa, alongside Adly and six top aides, arrived at the Police Academy, where the trial is taking place, on Saturday morning. The session started with a hearing of Adly's defense team, who have been given five days to present their defense. The defense for Adly's six aides have until 16 February, while Mubarak's lawyer has already wrapped up his defense. Guindi also said that prosecutors have not provided well-based accusations against Adly, and that to the contrary the charges are vague and do not provide proof that Adly ordered the killing of protestors. On Thursday, Guindi said that the US and Israel plotted to kill Egyptian protesters during the 18-day uprising that toppled Mubarak. He claimed that security guards at the American University in Cairo opened fire on protesters. The university's historical main building borders Tahrir Square, which was the epicenter of the anti-Mubarak revolt. The American University in Cairo immediately issued a denial of Guindi's charge. "All members of the Tahrir Square campus security staff are Egyptians who do not carry firearms," the university said in a statement.
