Mubarak regime blamed for uprising deaths

CAIRO -- The highest-level inquiry into the deaths of nearly 900 protesters in Egypt's uprising has concluded that police were behind nearly all the killings and used snipers on rooftops over Cairo's Tahrir Square to shoot into huge crowds.

The report, parts of which were obtained by The Associated Press, is the most authoritative account of the killings and determines that the deadly force used could only have been authorized by Hosni Mubarak's security chief, with the ousted president's knowledge.

The report of the fact-finding commission, created by President Mohammed Morsi, could weigh heavily in the upcoming retrial of Mubarak, as well as his security chief, former Interior Minister Habib el-Adly, and six top police commanders. It is likely also to fuel calls for reforming the powerful security forces and lead to prosecutions of police force members.

The Interior Ministry, which controls the police, has rejected charges it bore responsibility for the killings during the 18-day uprising that began Jan. 25, 2011, and ended with Mubarak stepping down. In contrast, pro-democracy activists behind the uprising have long maintained that police were to blame. -- AP