Judge bans TV cameras from Mubarak trial

His older son, Alaa, who is on trial with him, covered a state TV camera as it filmed his father being wheeled out of an ambulance to go into the trial venue. Brief scuffles between Mubarak supporters and opponents broke out outside the hearing, which is being held in a Cairo police academy.

The ailing 83-year old arrived at the court in a helicopter from a Cairo hospital where he has been held since his first court appearance on August 3.

He was then wheeled into the metal defendants’ cage on a bed with his two sons, Gamal and Alaa, by his side. They face only corruption charges.

Mubarak appeared in a blue jumpsuit while his two sons wore white prison uniforms.

As the former president lay in the cage, lawyers for relatives of the dead protesters shouted and bickered before the judge arrived in the room, apparently over seats.

Mubarak is charged with complicity in the killing of protesters during the uprising which ousted him and of corruption in accepting gifts to facilitate a land deal.

His former interior minister, Habib Al-Adly, who was in charge of police and other security forces who violently confronted mostly peaceful protesters, is also a defendant and accused of complicity in killing some of the nearly 900 protesters who died.

The judge adjourned the trial until September 5, and banned TV cameras from any future hearings.

State TV cameras had been allowed in the courtroom for the first two hearings, but Judge Ahmed Rifaat said he decided to ban them before summoning witnesses in a move welcomed by lawyers who have suggested some of the families attending were only doing so to get on television.