Egypt's Mubarak denies giving order to kill protesters

CAIRO - Egypt's ousted president Hosni Mubarak said in the court Wednesday that he didn't give orders to kill protesters during the 2011 popular uprising against his long- time rule, state-run Nile TV reported.

"A man like me who was responsible for defending the country and its people, as belonging to the armed forces for more than 60 years, couldn't order the killing of my people," Mubarak said in a speech to the judges' panel.

The 86-year-old ex-president added he never willingly allowed the country to slip into chaos, emphasizing that he voluntarily chose to leave office to protect Egyptian lives.

Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison last year along with his interior minister Habib al-Adli after being convicted of ordering the killing of protesters and inciting violence during the uprising, which led to his ouster.

More than 800 people were killed during the clashes then between the police and the protesters. The police eventually withdrew, and Mubarak said he later transferred power to the armed forces.

Mubarak appealed the verdict and the court ordered his retrial.

Mubarak who currently is kept under house arrest in a military hospital in Maadi, a Cairo suburb, was handed down three years in jail over other corruption cases.

The presiding judge Mahmoud al-Rashidy said he will issue the final verdict in the case of killing the protesters on Sept. 27.

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