Cairo, July 30 (IANS): An Egyptian court on Thursday adjourned a long running trial of three Al Jazeera journalists for the ninth time.

Australian Peter Greste, Egyptian Baher Mohamed and Canadian Mohamed Fahmy were found guilty in June 2014 of aiding a terrorist organisation, Muslim Brotherhood, which was outlawed in Egypt after the army overthrew President Mohamed Morsi in 2013, Al Jazeera reported.

While Greste and Fahmy were awarded seven year sentences, Mohamed was given a 10-year stretch.

In January, an appeals court ordered a retrial, saying the initial verdict lacked evidence against the three journalists working for the Doha-based network's English channel.

The journalists and Al Jazeera have vigorously denied the accusations.

Greste has already been deported to his native Australia under a law allowing the transfer of foreigners on trial to their home countries, but he would be retried in absentia.

Fahmy and Mohamed are out on bail ahead of the retrial after spending more than 400 days in detention.

Fahmy renounced his Egyptian nationality hoping he, too, would be deported like Greste.

The European People's Party issued a letter of support in favour of the jounalists earlier this month. It was signed by members of the European Parliament from across the political spectrum.