The witnesses produced files extracted from personal computers, cell phones and other electronic devices belonging to the accused. The files contained photos, video clips and documents which the witnesses claimed incriminated the accused.
A USB was also produced which purportedly contained information about plans by the clandestine organisation to destabilise the state.
Presiding judge Falah Al Hajeri adjourned the case to March 26 after serving summons to other technical experts. Another prosecution witness was asked to appear for the next hearing after the defence raised objection, saying he had left the country with his mother for her medical treatment.
The hearing started at 10.40am and concluded at 4pm and most of the session was taken up by exchanges between defence lawyer Abdul Hamid Al Kemeiti and presiding judge Falah Al Hajeri. The presiding judge asked Al Kemeiti to pose direct questions to the prosecution witnesses and not to resort to delays.
He said questions by the defence lawyer were general in nature and not specific to the case and that the six witnesses only had expertise in gathering e-evidence and other aspects of the case did not fall within their purview.
Al Kemeiti countered that the evidence was cooked up and said some important files had been deleted before they were handed to the court.
One of the accused who was allowed to speak said that the photos found on his mobile phone were taken during the Haj pilgrimage. Another accused said that he was a social worker and the word ‘Islah’ appeared often in his correspondence which was misunderstood as ‘a call for Islah’.
Al Kemeiti said an SMS which read — ‘Congratulations on Mohammed Mursi’s victory’ — could not be interpreted as evidence.
Many relatives of the accused said they wanted to speak to their kin and hand them money. Lawyer Jasim Al Naqbi sought permission from the judge who approved a meeting during a recess.
During the first break, relatives of the detainees started a quarrel with security men after one of the accused, a jurist, attempted to pass a paper to his attorney Al Naqbi but was stopped by an official. “You do not allow us to meet our lawyers or even hand them anything,” he shouted. He then threw the paper to the lawyer who picked it up.
A furious relative of the accused did not give up and began to raise slogans but was ordered by a security guard to exit the courtroom to which he refused. He was then forced out by three guards and order was restored when an official spoke to other family members to rein him in.
