Morsi’s trial delayed in Egypt due to bad weather

Former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi’s second day in court was held up today when bad weather delayed his flight to the Cairo police academy where he was due to face trial for inciting the killing of protesters, state media reported.

Mr Morsi had been due in court for the second session of his trial in a case relating to violence outside the presidential palace when he was head of state.

The army deposed Mr Morsi on July 3rd after mass protests against his rule. State media earlier reported that Mr Morsi , who is jailed in Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast, had arrived at the Cairo police academy where the court was due to convene.

But the state news agency later reported that bad weather meant Mr Moursi would most probably not be taken to court. It cited a senior security official.

The charges relate to violence outside the presidential palace in December 2012, during protests ignited by a presidential decree that expanded Mr Morsi’s powers. Fourteen other Islamists are standing trial with him.

The army-backed authorities brought two new cases against Mr Morsi last month, accusing him of conspiring against Egypt with the Palestinian group Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Shi'ite Islamist government of Iran, and separately charging him over a mass jail break during the 2011 uprising against Hosni Mubarak.

Reuters