Egypt's ousted President Mohammed Morsi stands inside a glassed-in defendant's cage during his trial on charges related to the prison breaks at the height of the 18-day 2011 uprising against his predecessor Hosni Mubarak, Jan. 28, 2014 (AP Photo)
The general prosecutor referred Saturday ousted president Mohamed Morsi and nine others to criminal court on new charges of spying for Qatar.
The General Prosecution released a statement detailing the accusations. Morsi is accused together with several others he allegedly appointed in the presidency of leaking documents of national security importance to Qatari intelligence through the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera news channel.
According to the charges, the documents included information about the armed forces, the Egyptian General Intelligence, Egyptian Military Intelligence, the National Security Sector, and Administrative Control Authority.
Morsi refused last month to answer prosecution questions on allegations he leaked top secret documents to Qatar. His detention was extended for another 15 days pending further investigations into the matter.
Morsi already faces another case of espionage. Together with 35 other Muslim Brotherhood leading figures he stands accused of collaborating with foreign organisations — namely Gaza rulers Hamas, an ideological offshoot of the Brotherhood — to commit acts of terrorism in Egypt.
Qatar was a strong supporter of Egypt during Morsi's rule and is repeatedly accused by Egypt's current government of backing the now banned Muslim Brotherhood.
Morsi also faces a number of other charges in separate court cases, including counts of incitement to murder and breaking out of prison in 2011.
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