Egyptian Media: Mubarak Denies Ordering Police to Fire on Protesters

Egyptian media say former President Hosni Mubarak has told prosecutors that he did not order security forces to open fire on protesters during the 18-day uprising that forced him to resign in February.

Transcripts of prosecutors questioning Mubarak were published in two Egyptian newspapers Thursday. The Associated Press says Egyptian judicial officials confirmed the authenticity of the documents.

The news agency says the former president's chief lawyer Farid el-Deeb told the AP that part of what was published was fabricated, but did not elaborate.

In the transcripts, Mubarak says he issued clear instructions for police not to use force against people taking part in mass nationwide protests against his three-decade autocratic rule. He denied charges that he ordered or had knowledge of security forces firing on the demonstrators.

Mubarak faces trial on those charges next month. He has been receiving medical treatment in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh since the revolution. The former president and his two sons also are charged with corruption.

Almost 900 protesters were killed in confrontations with armed police and Mubarak loyalists during the uprising. Egyptian reformists have been pressing the military council that took over from Mubarak to speed up prosecutions of officials and security personnel responsible for the killings