EGYPT: THREE SENTENCED TO DEATH ON AL-QAEDA ESPIONAGE CHARGES

February 8, 2015: Cairo criminal court has reached a final verdict of the death penalty for three and punished a fourth defendant with ten years in jail on charges of spying for Al-Qaeda between 2008 and 2013.
The sentences were based on charges of belonging to Al-Qaeda and providing them with details concerning Egyptian army.
They were also charged with forming a terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda that aims to threaten the freedom of Egyptian citizens, orchestrating attacks on the US and French embassies, and executing terrorist attacks in the Sinai Peninsula.
The four defendants are between 22 and 33 years old.
The three defendants who received capital punishment were tried in absentia.
The court had reached on 12 January an initial verdict of the death penalty for all four defendants before sending the rulings it to the Grand Mufti for review. (Sources: english.ahram.org.eg, 08/02/2015)