Ex-defense minister Tantawi appears in Mubarak trial

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Source: WaPo

CAIRO — The leader of Egypt’s interim military government gave testimony behind closed doors Saturday in the trial of toppled president Hosni Mubarak, offering what could be pivotal accounts on charges that Egypt’s former leader was complicit in the killing of protesters during the uprising that led to his ouster.

The testimony of Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi — Mubarak’s longtime defense minister who took over as head of the interim military council after the former president’s fall in February — came amid a highly charged atmosphere, with families of victims killed in the uprising and pro-Mubarak supporters rallying outside the heavily-guarded courtroom.

Tantawi appeared, however, under a court-ordered media blackout, with journalists and cameras barred from the courtroom and the details of his testimony shrouded in official secrecy. Although some have lauded the court’s willingness to compel such high-level officials to testify, there were clues Saturday that Tantawi’s words may not have proved as damning to Mubarak as activists have hoped.

First, the morning proceedings were suddenly moved up by 90 minutes without informing the lawyers of families of victims killed during the uprising, who were kept outside for 45 minutes of security procedures while Tantawi was giving his hour-and-a-half testimony, according to Amir Salem, one of the victims’ lawyers who was present in the courtroom.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/tantawi-appears-in-mubarak-trial/2011/09/24/gIQAAU7NtK_story.html