Egypt sentences 10 people to death for Qaeda links

CAIRO

An Egyptian court confirmed Thursday the death sentences against 10 people charged with forming an al-Qaeda-linked cell, a judicial source said.

The defendants are among a group of 68 people accused of forming an al-Qaeda-linked cell, including the brother of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

In August, the court had referred the 10 defendants to the grand mufti, Egypt’s top religious authority, to consider possible death sentences against them.

During Thursday’s session, the court also slapped 20 people with 25 years in prison each on similar charges, the judicial source told Anadolu Agency.

Sixteen people, including Zawahri himself, were acquitted by the court, the source said.

Prosecutors had accused the defendants of establishing an al-Qaeda-linked cell and planning attacks against state institutions and security forces.

Egypt has been roiled by violence and unrest since the military overthrew democratically-elected President Mohamed Morsi in a military coup more than two years ago.