By Andrew Warshaw, Chief Correspondent
January 23 – Fresh evidence in the trials of those accused of involvement in last year’s Port Said stadium disaster has been handed over by prosecutors according to reports in Egypt.
The eagerly awaited verdict into the deaths of over 70 fans who attended the Al Masry-Al Ahly clash is expected on January 26 but there is now increasing speculation that the case may drag on.
Seventy-three defendants are on trial, including nine security officials, three Al-Masry officials and a number of fans.
Thousands of Al-Masry fans have already besieged the Port Said stadium in protest at plans to transfer the defendants to Cairo for the verdict.
Conversely, Al Ahly fanatics have been demonstrating in Alexandria and Suez demanding revenge for the Port Said victims. Reports quoted protest leader Mohamed Ali as saying: “We are giving the authorities a final warning. We know what to do if the trial is manipulated.”
Amid the ongoing tensions, plans are underway to restart the Egyptian league on February 1 – a week after the scheduled Port Said judgements.
There has been no domestic football in Egypt since the politically fuelled riots almost a year ago and any decision to postpone the trial of those accused seems certain to spark further violent protests in a country where civil unrest shows little sign of abating.
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