Trial of 48 MB members adjourned until October 24 on charges of killing journalist Mayada Ashraf

The Cairo Criminal Court has adjourned until October 24 the trial of 48 terrorist Muslim Brotherhood members on violence charges.

The defendants are accused of inciting violence in Ain Shams district of Cairo in which journalist Mayada Ashraf, child Sherif Abdel Raouf and a woman, Mary George, were killed.

The court decided to delay the trial on Tuesday to give the defense team a chance to revise the case and until one of the defendants undergoes medical examination at prison hospital, whose report should be submitted in the next session.

The prosecution requested that the defendants receive the toughest penalty, given the outcome of an investigation that proved they joined the terrorist group and possessed firearms, explosives and artillery. The prosecution also said that the defendants acted to disrupt public security and peace. They face charges of murder and attempted murder, as well as sabotaging property, the prosecution added.

The chief justice asked the defendants about the charges, which they all denied.

The lawyer representing the family of the dead journalist requested a combined fine of 100,000 pounds to be paid by all the defendants in temporary compensation.

He also agreed with the prosecution in its request to inflict the toughest penalty on the defendants.

The defense team representing the defendants requested time to revise the case and prepare pleadings.

The referral order has indicated that the defendants committed the crimes for which they are tried in the period between January and June 2014.

Prosecutors probing the case pointed out that the Muslim Brotherhood group and the so-called "National Alliance to Support Legitimacy" had formed specialized committees grouping armed men to serve as a military wing of the terrorist group.

Those committees aimed at targeting media people to prevent them from unveiling MB crimes and at targeting Christian citizens to destroy the national fabric and create chaos, according to the prosecution statement. They also acted to target government institutions with the aim to topple the State, the prosecution said.

With this in mind, members of the committees gathered in Ain Shams district of Cairo on March 28, 2014. They opened fire at citizens, who rejected the protest, media people and police troops. Journalist Mayada Ashraf and child Sherif Abdel Raouf were shot dead in the head. Mary George, who was in her car, died of a gunshot to the chest. The defendants then set her car ablaze.

Twenty-five of the defendants had admitted to committing the crimes during the investigation

Source: MENA