Egyptian terrorism trial yields four death sentences

An Egyptian court sentenced four fundamentalists to death and eight to life in prison in Egypt's largest-ever military terrorism trial.

Mohamed Fawzy was sentenced to death for being a leader and member of an illegal terrorist squad, possessing explosives with the aim of destabilizing public order, planting bombs outside nine banks and killing a high-ranking police officer in 1994.

The other three who were sentenced death had been charged with taking part in the police officer's killing and planting bombs in banks in attacks which killed several people.

23 other people got 15 years in jail and 16 got 10 years. Six people got 5 years, five got 3 years and one woman got one year. 25, including other women, were acquitted.

The other 3 women in the trial were among those given five or 15-year sentences.

5 people in the case were tried in absentia. There were originally 98 in the case, but lawyers said one died, Al Ahrar daily said today.