CAIRO: Few hours ago, started the first session of the Port Said football disaster trial, at the Mubarak police academy. The session was adjourned twice as the defendants, who deny any role in the disaster, began shouting from inside their cage. During the afternoon, the session was adjourned for the second time, when the defendants began chanting “We'll die like them (the victims) if they don't get their rights” from inside their cage, according to El-Ahram. Ten minutes into the morning session one of the defendants began shouting, “One, two… where is Hosni Mubarak?” in possible reference to the widespread allegation that the regime was behind the disaster and the people of Port Said are being used as scapegoats. The session resumed after half an hour when order was restored. After the session resumed, Ragaei Atteya, the victims' lawyer, read out the name of every person who died during the Port Said disaster. The defendants recited the fateha (opening verses of the Quran) to bless the souls of the victims after Atteya had finished reading the list. An Ahly club lawyer for the victims then demanded the court issue specific charges against the interior minister and the head of Port Said's Masry football club, because he said they bore heavy responsibility for the disaster. However, Port Said security Chief Essam Samak denied all the charges against him, Bikyamasr.com reported. Victims' lawyers also demanded charging Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, Egypt's military leader, because he was running the country at the time of the disaster. Ultras from the rival Ahly and Zamalek clubs stood united in front of the Academy, waving club flags and chanting against the ruling SCAF. The court has been secured by thousands of Central Security Forces troops to prevent potential violence. Army tanks were also deployed. It should be noted that on February 1st, football fans stormed the pitch at the Port Said Stadium following a heated match between rivals Ahly and Masry. Around 75 suspects who were detained in the wake of the tragedy face trial, most of whom are natives of Port Said. A criminal court had decided on Thursday to transfer trial proceedings to the Cairo Police Academy away from the Suez Canal area for security reasons.
