The trial of an Egyptian man charged with spying on behalf of Israel was postponed on Saturday, after his lawyer withdrew from the case saying his client was a "traitor."
The Emergency State Security court postponed the hearing until Monday to allow the suspect, Tareq Abdelrazek, to hire a new lawyer, DPA reported.
Two Israelis, accused of spying on Egypt, will be tried in absentia.
The court session was held amid tight security. More than 500 soldiers were deployed around the court house, while nearby streets were cordoned off.
In December, Abdelrazek was arrested and charged with working for Israel's intelligence service, the Mossad, and supplying them with information about Egyptian citizens.
Abdelrazek, who owns an import-export company, is also accused of attempting to recruit spies in Syria and Lebanon for Mossad. He allegedly received 37,000 dollars from Israel for his activities.
Emergency courts do not provide the right to an appeal.