COURT SENTENCES 13 OF ‘SOLDIERS OF EGYPT’ TO DEATH’

October 8, 2017:

Thirteen convicts out of 44 were sentenced to death over charges of killing police personnel in a case dubbed in the media as “Soldiers of Egypt Cell.”
This is the court’s initial verdict and will be referred to Grand Mufti Shawki Allam to request his advisory opinion; setting December 7 as the date to annul or uphold its verdict. The defendants face charges of forming a terrorist cell that killed three police officers and three policemen, in addition to attempting the murder of 100 officers, stated Giza Criminal Court.
In May 2014, the Cairo Criminal Court for Urgent Matters designated that Soldiers of Egypt group a terrorist organization.
On April 15, 2014, the Soldiers of Egypt claimed responsibility for the Dokki bombing near the Cairo Opera House that injured a police officer, a recruit and a civilian; it also claimed responsibility on February 8, 2014 for an attack on police forces in Giza that injured 65.
Soldiers of Egypt joined Sinai-based militant group Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which carried out numerous high-profile attacks that targeted security forces and military installations.
Attacks and bombing targeting security forces have escalated since the ouster of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, who belonged to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.