(AFP FILE PHOTO / TAREK EL-GABASS)
The Cairo Criminal Court postponed on Saturday ousted president Mohamed Morsi’s espionage trial to 29 September, and called upon General Adel Azab of the Homeland Security department to testify in the coming hearing.
The court ordered the medical examination of Khairat El-Shater, deputy of the group’s Supreme Guide, according to state-run Al-Ahram.
Morsi, along with 35 high-profile members of the Muslim Brotherhood, are charged with collaborating with foreign groups. Other defendants include Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie, his deputies Khairat El-Shater and Mahmoud Ezzat, and leaders of the group’s political wing Saad Al-Katatni, Mohamed Al-Beltagy and Essam El-Erian.
The defendants are accused of organising “a plot” with the aid of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, among others. They also face charges of disclosing national security secrets, funding terrorism, and coordinating with jihadist organisations inside and outside of Egypt to execute terrorist operations in the country.
On 6 September, Morsi is also charged of espionage for Qatar. Investigations have claimed that he exploited his position as president to appoint Muslim Brotherhood cadres in sensitive positions, including Ahmed Abdel-Atty, who was Morsi’s office manager, and Amin El-Serafi, who held the position of presidential secretary.
Investigators allege that the Muslim Brotherhood leaked documents to Qatari Intelligence and to Qatari-based media outlet Al Jazeera.
