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Muslim Brothers on military trial Muslim Brothers in military trial
(about 2 hours later)
At least 24 members of Egypt's biggest opposition group have gone on trial at a military court in Cairo. The first hearing in the military trial of 33 members of Egypt's opposition Muslim Brotherhood has been held at a military base in Cairo.
Those facing trial include leading members of the Muslim Brotherhood, it has been reported. The defendants are understood to face charges relating to membership of a banned organisation, money-laundering and supporting terrorism.
Defence lawyers said they were boycotting the session, protesting that the court did not notify them of the start of the trial. Defence lawyers boycotted the session, protesting that the court did not notify them of the start of the trial.
The charges have not been made public, but reports say they could be linked to money-laundering and terrorism. The Muslim Brotherhood is outlawed, but has traditionally been tolerated.
According to the Associated Press news agency, around 33 leading members of the Muslim Brotherhood are on trial. This is the first time in seven years that members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been tried before a military court.
However the official number of defendants remains unclear, with secrecy surrounding the proceedings. Key defendant
"We haven't been officially notified about this trial. The whole thing looks suspicious," a member of the defence team told AP. The main defendant is Khayrat el-Shater, a senior figure said to be the group's strategist and chief financial officer.
The Muslim Brotherhood is outlawed in Egypt but has traditionally been tolerated. "We haven't been officially notified about this trial. The whole thing looks suspicious," a member of the defence team told the Associated Press news agency.
It has frequently accused the government of carrying out a campaign designed to eliminate it as an effective political force. The decision to hold a military trial has been seen as yet another sign of the government's determination to limit the success of the brotherhood, says the BBC's Heba Saleh in Cairo.
The brotherhood is Egypt's most powerful opposition group, and won nearly a fifth of seats in the 454-seat lower house of parliament in 2005.The brotherhood is Egypt's most powerful opposition group, and won nearly a fifth of seats in the 454-seat lower house of parliament in 2005.
It has frequently accused the government of carrying out a campaign designed to eliminate it as an effective political force.