Egypt court sentences 10 to death for terror charges

By Sayed Fathi

CAIRO

An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced 10 people to death for alleged terrorism charges, according to a local judicial source.

The Giza Criminal Court also jailed five people for life in prison for similar charges, the source said on condition of anonymity because he was unauthorized to speak to media.

Prosecutors had accused the defendants of forming a group for plotting attacks against state institutions, security forces and Coptic Christians and possession of weapons.

Saturday’s verdicts are still subject to appeal.

Egypt was roiled by violence after the military deposed Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first freely elected president, in a 2013 coup.

Since Morsi’s overthrow, Egyptian authorities launched a relentless crackdown on dissent, killing hundreds and detaining thousands.