Egyptian Blogger Goes To Trial For Insulting Islam

Yesterday in Egypt for the first time a blogger went on trial for insulting Islam in his online writings. The Associated Press reports that Abdel Kareem Nabil, a critic of conservative Muslims and especially of al-Azhar University, was charged with inciting sedition, insulting Islam, harming national unity and insulting the president of Egypt. Another blogger, Seif al-Islam, said the government was likely prosecuting Nabil as part of its "competition with the Muslim Brotherhood to show its Islamic credentials." The trial of Nabil whose Arabic language blog often criticized both Islamic authorities and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was adjourned until January 25 to give defense counsel time to review the indictment.