Morsi lawyers walk out, trial adjourned

The deposed Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, was accused of committing "the biggest case of conspiracy in the history of Egypt" as he faced court on espionage and terrorism charges Sunday.

However, the trial was adjourned when Morsi lawyers withdrew from court, after their client complained that he was being kept in a soundproofed dock to silence him.

Prosecutors alleged that Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood political party conspired with foreign groups in Iran, Lebanon and Gaza to conduct espionage and commit terrorist acts inside Egypt.

The former president stated that he was placed in the glass cage to stop him speaking to the people of Egypt.

"We are in a farce, all this because you are afraid of me. You are afraid that the president speaks," Morsi cried out, and told his defense: "If this farce continues, don't come to the court."

The court was adjourned until Feb. 23.

The prosecution says that the Brotherhood was planning in 2005 to send "elements" to the Gaza Strip for military training by the armed Lebanese group Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, adding that, upon their return to Egypt, the Brotherhood was going to join forces with armed groups in the Egypt-controlled Sinai region.

The Brotherhood aimed to establish an "Islamic emirate" in North Sinai, the prosecution charged.

Sunday's case is one of four against Morsi. Others charge that he conspired with foreign groups to break out of prison during the fall of his predecessor, Hosni Mubarak, and was complicit in the deaths of people who protested against him while he was in power.

Many of the charges carry the death penalty.

Brotherhood leaders Mohamed Badie, Khairat El-Shater, Mahmoud Ezzat and others have also been charged with crimes that include committing acts of "terrorism" and revealing military secrets.

A total of 36 people are now on trial and the proceedings are seen as the latest crackdown against the Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled Morsi to victory in the 2012 presidential election.

The Brotherhood was driven underground after Morsi's removal in July and following Egypt's decision to officially declare it a "terrorist" organization.

Al Jazeera and wire services