Defence argument

ON TUESDAY a state security court where 26 alleged members of the banned Islamic Liberation Party are being tried adjourned until 12 July. On 2 July, the prosecution concluded its case, while the court's 6 and 8 July sessions were dedicated to the defence.

All 26 suspects -- including three Britons -- face charges that include attempting to revive and promote the activities of the banned Islamic Liberation Party, as well as establishing an outlawed group aiming at overthrowing governments in various Islamic states in order to revive an Islamic Caliphate.

Defence lawyers' arguments focussed on refuting the prosecutor's assertion that there was no proof of a Caliphate system being obligatory in Islam. The prosecutor was using this argument to allege that the group was more interested in pursuing political rather than religious goals.

Defence lawyer Montasser El-Zayyat argued that the Caliphate system is a religious, political and legal obligation since it "advocates unity under the banner of Islam", and not necessarily one leader. El-Zayyat said that since the group had never been banned by official decree or court order, and since none of its members had been on trial before, it could not be considered illegal.

The Liberation Party was founded in Egypt in 1974 by two Palestinians -- Salem Rahhal and Saleh Serrya -- only to be crushed by Egyptian authorities that same year, after being blamed for an attempted coup d'etat known as "the incident of the Technical Military Academy", in which armed militants attacked the Cairo-based academy.

The defendants could face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. State Security Court verdicts cannot be appealed, and can only be overturned by the president.

Class of 2003

THIS WEEK, four military academies -- the Navy, Air Defence, Air Force and Military Technical Institution -- celebrated the graduation of their cadets in the presence of President Hosni Mubarak. Defence Minister Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi was also in attendance, along with Chief-of-Staff Hamdi Wiheba, Prime Minister Atef Ebeid, People's Assembly Speaker Fathi Souror, and Shura Council Speaker Kamal Helmi. Military commanders from the armed forces' main branches, as well as a number of foreign military attachés, also attended the celebrations.

The Naval Academy's 54th graduation featured a live display of 11 naval units, including mine sweepers. The Air Defence Academy's 31st graduation took place in Alexandria, and also featured a military and technical display performed by the new graduates. At the Air Force Academy in Belbeis, newly graduated pilots will show off their expertise in flying jet fighters like the Mirage-2000, the F-16 and the Meg 21.

Graduation ceremonies are due to continue over the next 10 days.

Higher interests

PRESS Syndicate Chairman Ibrahim Nafie's decision to withdraw from the next press syndicate elections surprised many journalists, and opened up a Pandora's box of questions concerning the syndicate's future.

Nafie, the chairman of the board of Al-Ahram and editor- in-chief of its daily newspaper, had been set to run for a third term, despite a press syndicate law stipulating that the chairman is elected every two years for a maximum of two consecutive terms. This occurred as a result of a complex legal situation by which the previous two elections had been declared null and void.

Nafie, however, surprised everyone involved with an article published in the daily Al-Ahram on Sunday 6 July, in which he announced that he will withdraw from the upcoming elections, in order to "prioritise the syndicate's higher interests as well as protect it [the syndicate] from any threats".

According to Nafie, while he could still run for chairman based on a supreme administrative court verdict, he will abstain in order to "assert the syndicate's law" which forbids holding the chairman's post for more than two consecutive terms.

In an interview with the London-based Al-Hayat daily newspaper, Nafie emphasised that despite his startling withdrawal from the upcoming syndicate elections, he will continue carrying out his duties as an active syndicate member. He also said that he would continue with his efforts to resolve many of the conflicts that are of concern to various journalists.

Nafie also indicated that he would keep close tabs on the preparations for the new elections, as well as coordinate with journalists in choosing their new nominees for the chairman's post. "I will work on supporting [the new chairman] with all my strength," he said, noting that the syndicate needed a "powerful" chairman and a "compatible" board.

According to press reports, several possible candidates are being suggested for the chairman's post, including veteran journalists Said Sonbol (Al-Akhbar's former editor-in-chief), Salah Montasser (a well-known Al-Ahram columnist), and Samir Ragab (Al-Gomhouriya's editor-in-chief).

Double lane road

ON SATURDAY Minister of Tourism Mamdouh El- Beltagui and Giza Governor Mahmoud Abul-Leil inaugurated the new divided Saqqara road, reports Rehab Saad . The Tourism Ministry invested some LE6 million to develop the formerly undivided road, which extends from Giza's Pyramids road to Mit Rahina via the eastern bank of the Mariyotiya canal.

The three-phase project extended the road's length to 16.5kms and widened it to 12 metres.

El-Beltagui called the road "one of the most important projects adopted by the Tourism Ministry, via the Tourist Development Authority, and in cooperation with the Giza governorate. The project aims at connecting the Pyramids road with the ancient sites of Saqqara and Mit Rahina. It will help to reduce the rate of road accidents, as well as the traffic burden on major thoroughfares, by connecting different governorates' highways with Cairo's ring road. It also facilitates visiting Giza's ancient sites which will consequently serve to promote tourism in that area."

Ministry officials believe that the boost in tourism expected to take place in the area as a result of the project would also catalyse the economic and social development of the region's inhabitants.

Al-Ahram Weekly Online : 10 - 16 July 2003 (Issue No. 646)
Located at: http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/646/eg3.htm