Trial of international NGO workers opens in Cairo

An Egyptian court has started the trial of more than 40 NGO aid workers who were helping Egypt's pro-democracy groups.

43 aid workers, including 16 US citizens, have been charged with distributing foreign funds to political parties without a license and being involved in illegal political activities.

On Sunday, only 13 Egyptian defendants were present in court for the opening hearing and all of them pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecutors accused them of spying for the US Central Intelligence Agency and sending information collected in Egypt to the US.

Some US and German citizens charged in the case have been banned from leaving the country.

The move has drawn a sharp reaction from the US government, which has threatened to cut off military assistance to Egypt worth about 1.3 billion dollars a year.