Egypt: Judge Sets Verdict for June 2 as Mubarak Claims Innocence
Cairo--Egypt’s former leader Hosni Mubarak has refuted claims that he ordered the killing of protestors during the infamous uprising that deposed him from power terming them as “baseless.”
His remarks comes a day after his defence lawyers delivered their final statement s in a seven-month trial where he is facing charges alongside five other former presidential top security officials for complicity in the killing of about 900 protestors during the uprising. If convicted Mubarak could face a death penalty by hanging.
His lawyers confirmed Mubarak had presented a letter to the court which was published in the Tahrir newspaper on Thursday, saying that he has worked to defend his nation’s honour and his people’s blood.
"The unjust accusations and the baseless allegations I am facing sadden me. I am not someone who would shed his people's blood. I have spent my life defending them. Hosni Mubarak is not someone to smear his military honour with ill-gotten wealth," the published letter said.
According to the newspaper publish, Mubarak say demonstrators had legitimate demands but accused them of provoking and attacking security forces. He expressed confidence in the country’s judicial system and its people, calling on Egyptians to ignore those who he termed were receiving foreign funds to foment unrest in the country.
"Despite everything, I am totally confident in the fairness and justice of the Egyptian judiciary. I am totally confident in history's judgment, and totally confident in the great Egyptian people's judgment - free from the allegations of the tendentious and those seeking to sow sedition, and those receiving foreign funding."
Mubarak declined to give any statement during the Wednesday’s final hearing of the landmark murder and corruption trial. Judge Ahmed Refaat said verdict in the case has been set for June 2.Mubarak faces separate charges on corruption alongside two sons and a business associate.
The June 2 verdict will be the final chapter in a tumultuous year for Mubarak, who ruled Egypt with an iron fist for 30 years and was unseated by the 18-day uprising last year.
Many have termed his letter to be more directed to the public for its opinion than at the court. The memo which closes with a famous line from an Arab poem is seen as an attempt by the 83 year-old former leader to appeal for sympathy from his readers.
Mubarak first appeared in court in August last year caged in bed to face the charges, making him the first Arab leader to be tried by his own people, seen as end of impunity for officials accused of torture, corruption and abuse.
London, Britain
Conference Calls for Urgent Actions in Somalia
World leaders meeting in London have called for urgent actions in the agreed support plan for fighting piracy, terrorism and the long-standing conflict in Somalia.
Representatives from around 50 countries and organisations have appealed for a concerted international assistance to the Somali crises, agreeing on a communiqué on the lawless state’s future.
Opening the one-day conference British Prime Minister David Cameron said the problem in Somalia did not only affect the country only but the whole everyone else and it was about the patient work of helping Somali people build their country from “bottom-up.”
"If the rest of us just sit back and look on, we will pay a price for doing so. So as an international community, it is in all our interests to try and help the Somali people address these problems," said Cameron.
Cameron said the African Union military action must work alongside with an inclusive government proposed, after mandate of the current Transitional Federal Government (TFG) expires in August.
"So, today, we have reached agreements on seven key areas: security, piracy, terrorism, humanitarian assistance, local stability, reinvigorating political process and international co-ordination,” said Cameron referring to the seven-point plan agreed by the gathering.
US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said the world must keep the al-Shabab militia on the run, ruling out on talks with the Islamist group, saying its decision to join forces with al-Qaeda indicates “it is not on the side of peace, stability or the Somali people.”
"For decades, the world has focused on what we could prevent from happening in Somalia - be it conflict, famine, or other disasters. Now we are focused on what we can build. The opportunity is real," she said.
TFG leader President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed at the start of the conference expressed his fears that the meeting might be just another diplomatic talkshop, saying that Somalis want to get done with horrendous memories of the past.
"We want to know what happened to the resolutions, all those hopes in the past which never saw the light of day, and which remain as mere words on pieces of paper," he said.
Thursday’s meeting attracted over 55 countries and regional blocs among other international organisations, with representatives from other Somali militias invited, except al-Shabab.
Residents in the Somali capital, Mogadishu waved handmade British flags to show solidarity with the conference where the Somali Prime Minister Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said he would welcome airstrikes against al-Shabab.
Succession of the plan for Somalia depend on commitment of its structure members who have vowed more humanitarian and military aid to see everlasting war has been achieved in the state which has been unstable since 1991.
US has pledged an additional $64 million in humanitarian assistance to the region, a day after the un Security Council passed a resolution to boost AU peacekeeping mission, AMISOM, with an additional 5000 troops to 17,731 troops.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who was also present, said the conference has opened “space for peace and stability in Somalia”, an opportunity he said “we cannot afford to miss."