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Mursi
to face trial over jailbreak case on Jan. 28
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[January 02, 2014]
CAIRO (Reuters) — Egypt's former
Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, will face trial on Jan. 28 over a
mass jailbreak in 2011, one of three cases against him since he was
ousted by the army in July, judicial sources said.
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 Since Mursi was deposed, security forces have launched a wide
crackdown against his Muslim Brotherhood group, arresting thousands
over accusations of inciting violence and designating the group a
terrorist organization last month.
Mursi has also been charged in connection with the killing of
protesters and collaborating with Islamist Hamas group and Hezbollah
to carry out a terrorist conspiracy against Egypt.
He could face the death penalty over such charges.
Mursi, along with other leaders of the Brotherhood, escaped from
prison on Jan. 28, 2011, after being rounded up with other
Brotherhood leaders during the 18-day uprising that toppled veteran
leader Hosni Mubarak.
The first session of his trial is due on the anniversary of that
jailbreak.
Mursi won the first post-Mubarak presidential elections in 2012 and
ruled Egypt for almost a year before mass protests against his rule
prompted the army to overthrow him and appoint an interim government
in July.
The Brotherhood, once Egypt's best-organized political and religious
movement that won five consecutive elections after Mubarak's
downfall in 2011, denies any links to violence and accuse the army
of staging a military coup.
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Hundreds of pro-Mursi supporters who have demanded his reinstatement
have been killed when security forces stormed their protest camps in
August. Thousands of others have been rounded up by security forces
over accusations of violence.
Around 350 police and soldiers have been killed in bombings and
shootings since Mursi was deposed.
(Reporting by Asma Alsharif; editing by Alison Williams)
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