Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Mubarak loyalists acquitted in attack on protest | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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CAIRO, (AP) — Egypt’s state news agency says a Cairo court has acquitted 25 loyalists of ousted President Hosni Mubarak loyalists who had been accused of organizing an attack in which assailants on horses and camels charged into crowds of anti-regime protesters last year.

The 25 were found innocent on charges of manslaughter and attempted murder. The defendants included the Mubarak-era parliament speaker, senior former ruling party members, as well as government ministers and businessmen.

The assault on the anti-Mubarak protesters at the height of last year’s 18-day sit-in in Tahrir square was a turning point. The attack, which became known as the “Camel Battle”, was blamed on Mubarak loyalists and was viewed as the regime’s last ditch attempt to break up the protests that led to Mubarak’s Feb. 11, 2011 ouster.