Egyptian Protesters Angered At Military Trial Verdict Delay

February 27, 2008 5:23 a.m. EST

Cairo, Egypt (AHN) - Egyptians demonstrated on Tuesday as an Egyptian court delayed giving a verdict in the military trial of 40 members of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood. The protesters said that the delay is an attempt to force the Brotherhood away from local elections in April.

The 40 members of Egypt's largest opposition group are on military trial for allegedly funding a banned organization. The verdict is scheduled to be handed out on March 25, a week after the deadline to nominate for the municipal vote.

"Terrorism or money laundering, where is the evidence? State security, you thugs, you protect thieves," the demonstrators shouted.

Analysts in Cairo believe the Brotherhood may win a decisive victory if the organization's leaders are allowed participate in the elections. Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak believes this spells trouble and has been detaining hundreds of members of the banned organization in recent weeks.

"It's a political case. The postponement has to do with the local elections," Abdul Monim Abdul Maqsoud, the group's lawyer, said. "Now that the verdict is delayed the government can buy time for political gain."