Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 8, 2006 2:15:09 GMT -5
3 Egyptians get death sentence over Taba bombs
Egypt's state security court sentenced 3 people to death during a court
hearing on Thursday over involvement in a series of blasts targeting Red
Sea holiday resorts.
The 3 were convicted of 7 charges, including illegal possession of
weapons, manufacturing explosives and plotting to kill Egyptians and
foreigners.
The prosecutors said Younis Gurair, Osama el-Nakhlawi and Mohamed Hussein
were members of a local group called Tawhid wal Jihad, blamed for bombings
and attacks in Sinai over the past 2 years.
The three have denied the charges and said they confessed under torture.
11 other people are on trial over the bombings in Taba and 2 other beach
resorts popular with Israelis in October 2004. The attacks killed more
than 34 people.
Egyptian prosecutors had originally indicted 3 men over the bombings but 1
man charged in absentia, Mohamed Ahmed Saleh Fulayfel, was killed in a gun
battle with police.
The prosecutors said the group had proclaimed the Egyptian leadership
religiously illegitimate and targeted foreign tourists.
Human rights groups have said the authorities detained up to 2,500 people
for questioning after the bombings, subjecting many to torture. Egyptian
officials deny the torture.
The case is scheduled to resume on November 30.
Several men the authorities have said were wanted in the case have died in
gun battles with police in Sinai.
Egyptian authorities say the bombers were Sinai bedouin, some of them with
Palestinian connections, but that it does not believe they had any outside
connections.
The authorities have previously said they suspect the group behind the
bombings was also responsible for a blast in August that damaged a
multinational observer force vehicle.
(source: Reuters)
Egypt's state security court sentenced 3 people to death during a court
hearing on Thursday over involvement in a series of blasts targeting Red
Sea holiday resorts.
The 3 were convicted of 7 charges, including illegal possession of
weapons, manufacturing explosives and plotting to kill Egyptians and
foreigners.
The prosecutors said Younis Gurair, Osama el-Nakhlawi and Mohamed Hussein
were members of a local group called Tawhid wal Jihad, blamed for bombings
and attacks in Sinai over the past 2 years.
The three have denied the charges and said they confessed under torture.
11 other people are on trial over the bombings in Taba and 2 other beach
resorts popular with Israelis in October 2004. The attacks killed more
than 34 people.
Egyptian prosecutors had originally indicted 3 men over the bombings but 1
man charged in absentia, Mohamed Ahmed Saleh Fulayfel, was killed in a gun
battle with police.
The prosecutors said the group had proclaimed the Egyptian leadership
religiously illegitimate and targeted foreign tourists.
Human rights groups have said the authorities detained up to 2,500 people
for questioning after the bombings, subjecting many to torture. Egyptian
officials deny the torture.
The case is scheduled to resume on November 30.
Several men the authorities have said were wanted in the case have died in
gun battles with police in Sinai.
Egyptian authorities say the bombers were Sinai bedouin, some of them with
Palestinian connections, but that it does not believe they had any outside
connections.
The authorities have previously said they suspect the group behind the
bombings was also responsible for a blast in August that damaged a
multinational observer force vehicle.
(source: Reuters)