CAIRO - The Cairo Criminal Court Saturday adjourned to March 8 looking into a decision by Egypt's Chief Prosecutor to freeze the assets of ousted president Hosni Mubarak and of his family. Last week the Chief Prosecutor Abdel-Maguid Mahmoud issued an order freezing assets belonging to Mubarak, his wife Suzanne, his two sons Alaa and Gamal Mubarak, and their wives and children. Sweeping nationwide protests had forced Mubarak to step down on February 11. Lawyer el-Amir el-Sabah Mohamed, attending the trial hearing on behalf of Mubarak's main attorney, Mohamed Hamouda, said that they had sought adjournment for examining the file of the case. Al-Sabah asked for “adequate time” to examine documents and until stability is re-established in the country, according to the Middle East News Agency (MENA). He stressed Hamoud'a strong belief in the revolution of the youth that drove Mubarak off power, noting that the prominent lawyer would withdraw once any charge of graft profiteering, seizing or squandering public funds is proved true against Mubarak or any member of his family. Hamouda had previously said he had been delegated to speak in court on behalf of Mubarak over the travel ban and asset freeze, adding that he had no other relation with Mubarak or the family, nor was he a member of the formerly ruling National democratic Party (NDP). Hamouda said that Mubarak had delegated him and lawyer Bahaa-Eddin Abu-Shoka to speak for him. Other members of a huge defence team will include lawyer Mortada Mansour, The Gazette has learnt. Hamouda revealed that he had rejected to defend ex-Interior Minister Habib al-Adly, and ex-MP tycoon, Ahmed Ezz, the former head of the NDP organisational affairs, for “I only accept cases of which I am convinced. It is an honour to stand for the ex-president and his family, though all indicators give the opposite impression”, he said. He applauded the January 25 revolution, but in the meantime slammed conditions in the country at present. Young people launched the white revolution, but a group of people seeking their own interests, is making a counter revolution, appearing like heroes at the expense of the (Egyptian people) to undermine the aims of that noble revolution” Hamoud said. Abu-Shoka, meanshile, the independent website told al-Youm al-Sabea he had apologised in a recent telephone call with Mubarak that he could not take care of his cases before the judiciary “caring for the emotions of youth who made the revolution and the (Egyptian) people”. He added that he might reconsider the matter in case people changed and realise the “elevated” task of a lawyer and the essence of the constitutional rights. By the same token, Mansour in a statement rejected to speak for the Mubaraks in court saying he upholds the principles and demands of the Egyptian youth who toppled Mubarak.
