ISMAILIYA, Egypt: A court Saturday refused to grant defense lawyers access to key documents in the trial of suspects in the deadly bombings of resorts in Taba and Nuweiba, an AFP correspondent said. The defense had demanded access to transcripts of testimonies given by state security officers, saying they were crucial for its case. However, the prosecution urged the state security court hearing the case not to grant access, on the grounds that release of the testimonies could jeopardize an ongoing investigation into a separate case. The request came as the trial continued for 15 defendants charged with carrying out the bombings that killed at least 34 people at the Hilton hotel in Taba and two other Sinai resorts on October 7, 2004. Six of the defendants stand accused of joining an illegal group; murder, manufacture possession and use of explosives; and destruction of property. The rest are accused of membership in the group and conspiring with the others. Egypt said the defendants belong to a group calling itself Tawhid wal Jihad (Unification and Holy War), which has been blamed for a string of other bombings in the Sinai Peninsula over the past two years. AFP
Court blocks access to transcripts in bombing trial
