20110115
reuters

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian court convened on Saturday to start the trial of an Egyptian businessman charged with spying and recruiting agents in telecoms firms for Israel's intelligence agency Mossad, the state news agency said.

The judge of the state security court postponed hearing the case to Monday after the defendant's lawyer quit and he chose another lawyer to handle his case, the state news agency MENA said.

Rights groups have criticised security courts, which were established under an emergency law, saying the government uses them to secure swift and often harsh verdicts that cannot be appealed.

Tarek Abdel Rezek Hussein, 37, owner of an import-export firm, was arrested in August on charges of providing Israel with information about Egyptians in telecoms companies who could be recruited to spy in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon.

Hussein is also accused of accepting $37,000 for spying. Two Israelis were charged in absentia. Israel, at peace with Egypt since 1979, has denied involvement in the affair.