Egypt adjourns trial of Mossad spies

The second session of the trial of an Israeli spy ring underway in Cairo, Egypt, has been wrapped up and postponed for the second time until February 12.

The three spying suspects are Egyptian businessman, Tarek Abdel Razek, 37, who is accused of spying and recruiting agents in telecoms firms for Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, and two Israeli officers, who are being tried in absentia.

Egypt’s Supreme State Security Emergency Court said on Monday that the grace would allow the Egyptian defense team to obtain a copy of the case file and to give the defendant a forensic examination for any possible injuries or torture.

The first session of the trial was held two days earlier at the same court and was postponed after Abdel Razek’s lawyer accused the defendant of being a traitor and quit, a Press TV correspondent reported.

The trio will face espionage charges by the Supreme State Security Prosecution. Abdel Razek, who was arrested in August in Cairo, will also face charges of engaging in hostile acts against Syria and Lebanon and endangering Egypt’s relations with the two countries.

Successive and strange confessions from the defendant and the small amount of money he received in exchange for the information he handed to Israeli agents has enraged people in Egypt. The Egyptians are demanding the harshest sentence possible, which in Egypt is usually 15 years of hard labor, against Razek.

Authorities say Hassan received $7,500 to try to recruit employees working for telecommunications companies in Egypt, Lebanon and Syria.

Israel has denied involvement in the spying affair.

Cases like this are not limited to Cairo. Lebanon has already filed complaints with the United Nations about Israel’s espionage activities within the country.

Beirut has also arrested dozens of people, including Lebanese security officials and telecommunications employees on suspicion of spying for Israel.