Egypt resumes trials of former officials

The trial of Egypt's former interior minister, Habib al-Adly, and six senior security officials, has resumed.
The accused all face charges related to their involvement in the killing of protesters during the revolution earlier this year, which toppled the government of the former president, Hosni Mubarak.
Thursday's trial in Cairo, the capital, is a continuation of one that began in April. This is the fifth session.
"Today is the day when evidence is presented to the judge by the various sides," Al Jazeera's Sherine Tadros, reporting from the capital, said.

Adly, along with his aides, is accused of having ordered the shooting of demonstrators during protests that toppled Mubarak and led to more anti-government protests in the Arab world.

He is also being held responsible for the insecurity that prevailed after police disappeared from the streets of Cairo in the early days of the protests.

"These are all the senior key figures, the buck really stops with these people when it comes to the ordering of the killing of protesters, which is what the prosecution is trying to prove. And that's why it is such an important trial," Tadros said.

The former officials on trial include the head of central security, the head of state security, the head of investigations, and the heads of security for the Cairo, Sixth of October city and Giza governorates.

According to an official toll, 846 people were killed and several thousand wounded during 18 days of massive nationwide street protests that forced Mubarak to quit on February 11.

Adly was also the first member of Mubarak's regime to be put on trial in another case where he faced charges of fraud and money laundering.

He has already been sentenced to 12 years in jail in that separate corruption case.

The removal of Adly from office was one of the chief demands of protesters when they launched the revolution against Mubarak's regime on January 25.

Mubarak faces similar charges of corruption and complicity in the killing of protesters.

In the first day of his trial held on Wednesday, he plead not guilty to all the accusations against him.

"I categorically deny all the charges," Mubarak said, speaking from a hospital stretcher where he lay inside a cage for defendants.

Wednesday was Mubarak's first public appearance since the day before he stepped down as president. There have been reports of his ailing and deteriorating health.

He will remain in a hospital near Cairo until his trial resumes on August 15.