Mubarak Security Chief Convicted

The Wall Street Journal reports

CAIRO—An Egyptian court sentenced the former interior minister who oversaw the expansion of the Mubarak regime's vast security apparatus to 12 years in prison for corruption, in the first conviction of a senior former regime official since a popular uprising drove President Hosni Mubarak from power.

The conviction of former Interior Minister Habib al-Adly for money laundering and profiteering stemming from a fraudulent land deal kicks off a string of prosecutions of the former regime's leading figures on corruption charges and other crimes.

Mr. Adly, who pleaded not guilty, was also fined 15 million Egyptian pounds, or $2.5 million. His lawyer couldn't be reached for comment.

Mr. Adly is still awaiting a verdict in a second criminal trial, in which he faces six additional charges, including ordering police to open fire on protesters during the uprising—a charge for which he could face the death penalty. He pleaded not guilty to these charge as well.

The ruling Egyptian military appears intent on showing Egyptians it is responding swiftly to their demands for the trial of former officials, and to placate the popular anger that fueled the 18-day uprising that toppled the regime in February.

The military assumed control of Egypt's government after Mr. Mubarak stepped down on Feb. 11 and is expected to continue ruling until elections are held later this year.

"It is a good day when this particular interior minister is sent to jail," said Hossam Bahgat, a human-rights activist in Cairo working on legal cases against former regime figures.

During his 13 years in the post, Mr. Adly oversaw an internal security apparatus numbering 500,000 people. Human-rights goups say that under his watch, the police use of torture grew into an endemic problem in the Egyptian justice system.