Cairo, April 27: The trial of Egypt’s former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly has opened in the capital Cairo two months after he issued shoot-to-kill orders against peaceful protesters.
State media say al-Adly is also on trial for corruption and fraud.
Adly, former premier Ahmed Nazif and former Minister of Finance Yussef Boutros Ghali are accused of misuse of public funds to make unlawful personal gains.
The officials along with a German businessman have allegedly made 15-million dollars from a deal without putting it out to tender as required by law.
Adly is also expected to face criminal charges in connection with ordering the shooting of anti-Mubarak protesters.
Authorities have deployed hundreds of riot police and dozens of military tanks outside the court building.
This comes two months after Egypt’s historic revolution ousted former US-backed dictator Hosni Mubarak from power on February 11. According to an official toll, at least 846 people were killed in the revolution.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s former energy minister and six other officials are to stand trial on charges related to selling Egypt’s natural gas to Israel for half the price over 20 years.
The developments come as Mubarak family is facing allegations of corruption as well as the use of violence against protesters.
Egypt’s judicial officials say former dictator Hosni Mubarak could be executed if found guilty of ordering to shoot anti-government protesters.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, a new poll shows that most Egyptians want laws in their country to follow the teachings of Muslims’ holy book– the Qur’an.
The survey by the Pew Research Center also found that most Egyptians prefer having religious parties included in any future government.
Based on the poll, the majority of Egyptians want an end to their country’s 32-year peace treaty with Tel Aviv that made Egypt the first Arab country to recognize Israel.
The poll also found that 79 percent of Egyptians have an unfavorable view of Washington, and 64 percent say they have little or no confidence in US President Barrack Obama.
——–Agencies