Date Posted: Wednesday, February 13, 2008

By Saber Mansour and Osama al-Mahdi

CAIRO (Almasry-Alyoum) February 12, 2008 - Security forces prevented a U.S. delegation from attending the trial of Muslim Brotherhood leaderships referred to military court during what has been reported to be the last session of their defense, pending judgment in the ten-month long trial.

The US delegation, headed by Mahdi Bray, Executive Director of MAS Freedom, the civic and human rights advocacy entity of the Muslim American Society (MAS), also included Samih Kherisi of Amnesty International, and an array of internationally renown human rights activists who arrived in Cairo over the weekend.

The delegation held a press conference, in which it expressed indignation at being prevented from entering the courtroom.

Bray said that the military court was proof that there are ambiguous procedures in the works against the defendants which are in violation of both the international and Egyptian laws.

He added, "It will be with great disappointment that, on returning to the U.S., our upcoming press conference will have to include in its report that human rights issues in Egypt, regarding the military tribunal process in particular, remain unchecked, and unchanged."

Kherisi said that the Egyptian authorities also continued to prevent him from attending the proceedings, which would also be included in his follow-up report to Amnesty International.

Counsel for the defense presented evidence refuting the investigations and allegations against their clients attempting to link six of the expatriate defendants with those residing in Egypt.

Attorneys said that Security Services did not provide proof of its claims, or for any financial transfers among the expatriate defendants and those within the country.