Trial of persons accused in Sinai explosions start in July

The trial of three Egyptians accused of killing more than 34 persons in resorts in tourism sites in Sinai in October 2004, will start on July 2, according to the Egyptian attorney general.

Muhammad Sabah and Muhammad Abdullah will be brought before the state security court over blowing up the resorts which are very popular for Israeli tourists while Muhammad Ahmad Fleifel will be tried in absentia.

The attorney in March addressed three accusations to the accused men of killing, trying to kill and of having automatic weapons. Both Sabah and Abdullah were arrested two months after the attack which targeted Taba Hilton hotel on the Egyptian- Israeli borders and at two camps to the south of Taba.

Israeli officials indicated that 12 Israelis were among the killed and that one Palestinian had planned for the attacks, considering that the attackers are not members of what they described as a network for extremists.

The Egyptian authorities say that the Palestinian and one of his aides were killed in the Taba explosion when the bomb went off prior to its set time. Two others were killed in a fire exchange with the police in February during the attempt to arrest them.