Mubarak trial: Egypt military ruler Tantawi to testify

Mr Mubarak has been arriving in court on a stretcher

The head of Egypt's ruling military council, Field Marshal Mohamad Tantawi, is due to testify in the trial of former President Hosni Mubarak.

Mr Tantawi, a former defence minister, will give evidence behind closed doors.
Mr Mubarak, 83, is accused of ordering the shooting of protesters during the uprising that ousted him in February - charges he denies.
Mr Tantawi takes the stand as his leadership is coming under increasing pressure both at home and abroad.
He is now trying to mend its ties with Israel, which have been damaged by Friday's attack by protesters on the Israeli embassy in Cairo, the BBC's Bethany Bell in Cairo reports.
The attack happened after thousands converged on Cairo's Tahrir Square to demand faster political reforms from the military leadership.
Changing evidence Field Marshal Mohamad Tantawi's testimony could be key in deciding whether Mr Mubarak is found guilty or innocent.
The military chief of staff and Omar Suleiman, Mr Mubarak's vice-president and intelligence chief, are also expected to give evidence.

But their testimony will be kept private under a reporting ban for reasons of national security - a move that has angered many Egyptians demanding a transparent trial.

Many Egyptians argue that the testimony of senior officials will be key to determining whether Mr Mubarak ordered the use of lethal force.
But senior police officials who took the stand last week failed to implicate the former president in the deaths of protesters.
One of the witnesses was arrested for changing his evidence. The officer had originally told lawyers he was given orders to use live ammunition on demonstrators in Egypt's uprising - something he denied on the stand.
Some 850 people were killed during the 18-day uprising in Cairo's Tahrir Square in January and February.
The victims' families want to know what orders Mr Mubarak gave to his officials as police tried to stop the mass protests that resulted in the president's resignation on 11 February.
The trial of Mr Mubarak and his sons Gamal and Alaa has been merged with that of former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly, who is also accused of ordering the killing of protesters.
All the defendants deny the charges.