CAIRO: Head of the volunteer defense team Yousry Abdel Razek said that the recent clashes between protesters and security and armed forces, prove that other authorities gave orders to shoot protesters during the January uprising and not the ousted president himself. Abdel Razek told Daily News Egypt that the weapons used to shoot protesters in January were the same ones used during the latest clashes. Since October, security and armed forces have cracked down on protests and sit-ins, leaving over 80 people dead over the three months. The trial of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, accused of ordering the killing of protesters during the January uprising, is scheduled to resume Wednesday following a three-month halt to decide whether to replace the judge presiding over the case. According to lawyers, the defense and plaintiffs will begin to submit evidence that convicts or acquits those accused on Wednesday. Abdel Razek, who works in coordination with Mubarak's lawyer Fareed El-Deeb, said that the defense was able to collect new evidence that should prove Mubarak is not guilty, including a list of names of police officers who were killed during the January uprising. “We also have evidences that some Hezbollah and Al-Qassam Brigades members managed to enter Egypt with the help of Sinai Bedouins and break into prisons,” Abdel Razek told DNE. He explained that the central security trucks that ran over protesters were stolen and smuggled to Gaza and discovered by the Egyptian diplomatic office. Egypt was able to retrieve the trucks through international efforts, he claimed. According to plaintiff's lawyers, the latest violent clashes do not count as evidence for Mubarak's acquittal. “Linking killing protesters in January's uprising with what happened the past three months is illogical and illegal. Each case has its own circumstances and the ousted president should be held accountable for security forces' actions under his reign,” civil defense lawyer Mohamed Abdel Wahab said. Mubarak's trial was postponed following the testimony delivered in September by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The plaintiff's lawyer said that Tantawi said Mubarak did not give orders to shoot protesters. Before the three-month break, the court was scheduled to hear the testimony of SCAF's Chief of Staff Sami Anan in October. However it was postponed until the court examined the plaintiff's motion against the judge. Lawyers expect the judge to set a date to hear Anan's testimony. The case of former president Mubarak, his sons Alaa and Gamal, former interior minister Habib El-Adly and six of his aides and businessman Hussein Salem was postponed as plaintiff's lawyers representing the families of victims raised an appeal demanding a new judge instead of well reputed Judge Ahmed Refaat claiming that he was biased against them. According to media reports, Judge Refaat has a reputation of working by the book and following procedures. He has also been praised for his independence. Earlier this month the court turned down the appeal, with critics claiming that the plaintiff's lawyers were stalling. “We don't want anyone to think that we are wasting time; we are trying to protect the rights of the martyrs, which means a fair trial,” lawyer Sameh Ashour previously told reporters during a press conference late September. Unlike previous sessions, television cameras will not be allowed inside the courtroom. State news agency MENA said that over 5,000 security personnel will be deployed to maintain security inside and outside the courtroom and that security measures are planned in coordination with the military forces and interior ministry. CAIRO: Head of the volunteer defense team Yousry Abdel Razek said that the recent clashes between protesters and security and armed forces, prove that other authorities gave orders to shoot protesters during the January uprising and not the ousted president himself. Abdel Razek told Daily News Egypt that the weapons used to shoot protesters in January were the same ones used during the latest clashes. Since October, security and armed forces have cracked down on protests and sit-ins, leaving over 80 people dead over the three months. The trial of ousted president Hosni Mubarak, accused of ordering the killing of protesters during the January uprising, is scheduled to resume Wednesday following a three-month halt to decide whether to replace the judge presiding over the case. According to lawyers, the defense and plaintiffs will begin to submit evidence that convicts or acquits those accused on Wednesday. Abdel Razek, who works in coordination with Mubarak's lawyer Fareed El-Deeb, said that the defense was able to collect new evidence that should prove Mubarak is not guilty, including a list of names of police officers who were killed during the January uprising. “We also have evidences that some Hezbollah and Al-Qassam Brigades members managed to enter Egypt with the help of Sinai Bedouins and break into prisons,” Abdel Razek told DNE. He explained that the central security trucks that ran over protesters were stolen and smuggled to Gaza and discovered by the Egyptian diplomatic office. Egypt was able to retrieve the trucks through international efforts, he claimed. According to plaintiff's lawyers, the latest violent clashes do not count as evidence for Mubarak's acquittal. “Linking killing protesters in January's uprising with what happened the past three months is illogical and illegal. Each case has its own circumstances and the ousted president should be held accountable for security forces' actions under his reign,” civil defense lawyer Mohamed Abdel Wahab said. Mubarak's trial was postponed following the testimony delivered in September by Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt's ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces. The plaintiff's lawyer said that Tantawi said Mubarak did not give orders to shoot protesters. Before the three-month break, the court was scheduled to hear the testimony of SCAF's Chief of Staff Sami Anan in October. However it was postponed until the court examined the plaintiff's motion against the judge. Lawyers expect the judge to set a date to hear Anan's testimony. The case of former president Mubarak, his sons Alaa and Gamal, former interior minister Habib El-Adly and six of his aides and businessman Hussein Salem was postponed as plaintiff's lawyers representing the families of victims raised an appeal demanding a new judge instead of well reputed Judge Ahmed Refaat claiming that he was biased against them. According to media reports, Judge Refaat has a reputation of working by the book and following procedures. He has also been praised for his independence. Earlier this month the court turned down the appeal, with critics claiming that the plaintiff's lawyers were stalling. “We don't want anyone to think that we are wasting time; we are trying to protect the rights of the martyrs, which means a fair trial,” lawyer Sameh Ashour previously told reporters during a press conference late September. Unlike previous sessions, television cameras will not be allowed inside the courtroom. State news agency MENA said that over 5,000 security personnel will be deployed to maintain security inside and outside the courtroom and that security measures are planned in coordination with the military forces and interior ministry.
