Mubarak's intelligence chief testifies at trial

Omar Suleiman, one of the most secretive figures from the Mubarak regime. Photograph: EPA

One of the most secretive figures of Hosni Mubarak's inner circle has testified at the ousted Egyptian leader's trial under a media blackout, facing questions as to whether his former boss ordered the use of lethal force against protesters.

Omar Suleiman, the former intelligence chief who was vice-president during the last weeks of the regime, is the first of Mubarak's most senior leadership to appear at the trial.

Egypt's current military ruler, Field Marshall Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, who was Mubarak's defence minister, had been due to testify on Sunday but failed to appear.

It is unprecedented for a court in Egypt to summon such high-level figures, particularly authorities from the highly secretive military and intelligence services. The judge has closed the court for the testimonies, barring anyone except lawyers from attending and forbidding journalists from reporting anything on the testimony.

Mubarak, 83, his former interior minister, Habib el-Adly, and six senior police officers face charges of complicity in the deaths of protesters during the 18-day uprising that led to Mubarak's departure on 11 February. They could face the death penalty if convicted. More than 850 people were killed by police who opened fire on crowds.

The trial hinges on the question of whether Mubarak or Adly ordered police to use lethal force against the protesters, or if Mubarak took any action to prevent bloodshed once it began.

Suleiman, 74, one of the most secretive figures in the regime, was Mubarak's point man in dealing with the protests. Witnesses confirmed Suleiman's arrival on Tuesday morning at the heavily fortified police academy on Cairo's outskirts where the trial is being held.

Hafez Abu Saada, a rights advocate who is serving as a lawyer for families of the protesters who were killed, said the chief judge in the session was expected to ask Suleiman the key question: "Did Mubarak give any kind of orders, by any phrasing, to use force against protesters?"

The state-run al-Akhbar daily said Suleiman would be asked whether Mubarak gave any orders to stop the shooting of protesters.

In July, Suleiman told prosecutors that neither Mubarak or Adly issued orders to use violence against protesters. According to a transcript published by the independent daily al-Masry al-Youm, Suleiman blamed "criminal elements" for storming police stations and prisons during the uprising, prompting security forces to act in self-defence,which led to some deaths.

He said Mubarak had been aware of the anger and frustration in Egypt over deteriorating economic conditions and widespread corruption, and that he asked Mubarak to order the army to be ready to be deployed if needed to protect state institutions. Suleiman told prosecutors that he advised Mubarak to meet the protesters' demands.

Many believe that Suleiman himself should be a co-defendant alongside Mubarak, given his a prominent role in the leadership during the uprising. Mohammed Zarei, another lawyer for the families of victims, described Suleiman as the "black box".

"Excluding Suleiman from charges of complicity in killing protesters was and remains a surprise to me because he holds part of the responsibility," Zarei said.

Suleiman was appointed as Egypt's vice-president on 29 January, five days into the popular revolt, in an attempt to rescue Mubarak's rule. In his final move, Mubarak tried to hand over all his powers to Suleiman while remaining president, but intensifying protests prompted the military to force Mubarak and Suleiman to resign the next day. It was Suleiman who appeared on state TV on 11 February to announce that Mubarak had stepped down and that power now lay with the military.

Suleiman had played a major behind-the-scenes role during Mubarak's regime, entrusted with the most crucial issues. He managed relations with the US, Israel, the Palestinians and Sudan. He also mediated between Israel and the Palestinians and between the rival Palestinian factions.

Suleiman became military intelligence chief in 1991 during the Gulf war, when Egypt was among the Arab forces that helped the US-led coalition drive Saddam Hussein's military out of Kuwait. He rescued Mubarak from an assassination attempt carried out by Islamic militants in the mid-1990s.

Tantawi and his chief of staff, Sami Anan, who failed to appear in court to testify this week as expected, have been summoned to appear instead on 24-25 September.