Egypt’s former president Hosni Mubarak suffering from cancer according to his lawyer

Egypt's former President Hosni Mubarak is suffering from cancer, his defense lawyer Farid el-Deeb said on Monday, citing a medical report to assess whether the former leader is fit enough to face trial.

Mubarak, 83, was forced from office in February after a popular uprising. He is due to stand trial on August 3 for the killing of protesters and abuse of power, charges he denies. He has been detained in hospital in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh since mid-April after officials said he had heart problems during initial questioning.

A committee of doctors appointed to assess Mubarak's state of health said in late May that he should not be moved to a prison hospital because he was depressed, had poor blood circulation and was at risk of a sudden heart attack. The medical team also said he had tumors in his gall bladder and pancreas, for which he had operations in the past.