Suzan murder accused's lawyer wants to quit

Cairo: Cracks have surfaced among the defence lawyers for Egyptian business tycoon Hesham Tala'at Mustafa, charged with involvement in the killing of Lebanese singer Suzan Tamim, surfaced on Sunday as one of his lawyers threatened to quit a few weeks before the trial begins.

Lawyer Shawqi Al Sayyed has expressed disappointment that Fared Al Deeb, another member in the defence team for Moustafa, has rejected him as part of the team. "This is unjustified and illogical," Al Sayyed said yesterday.

A Cairo criminal court has set October 18 for beginning the trial.

In remarks published on Saturday, Al Deeb said that he and Hafez Farhoud were the only members of the defence team for the tycoon.

"I cannot work under such conditions," said Al Sayyed. "This difference [among the defence lawyer] is not in Mustafa's interest."