Egypt's Mohammed Morsi to be tried for 2011 prison break

Deposed Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi and 132 others, including members of Hamas and Hezbollah, will face trial for a prison break and murder of police officers during the 2011 uprising that ended the nearly three-decade regime of Hosni Mubarak.

This will be the third trial for Morsi, who faces separate charges of inciting murder of protesters at the presidential palace in December 2012 and of espionage and conspiring with foreign groups to commit terror acts.

Amid a crackdown on Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood movement following his overthrow in July, judge Hassan Samir today referred to a criminal court a case against Morsi and 132 co-defendants over the escape of prisoners from Wadi El-Natroun jail on January, 28, 2011.

Morsi, members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Muslim Brotherhood are accused of storming prisons and murdering police officers.

He is already in jail for alleged involvement in the killing of opposition protesters.

Last month, Morsi went on trial on charges of incitement in connection with clashes between his supporters and opposition protesters outside the presidential palace in December 2012.

Proceedings have been adjourned until January 8, but Morsi will also go on trial on December 23 on separate fraud charges connected with the Brotherhood's economic and social programme for Egypt's recovery, called Renaissance (al-Nahda).