Eight Muslim Militants Get Death Sentence
An Egyptian military court sentenced eight Muslim militants to hang Saturday and jailed six for life on charges of murder and plotting to topple the government.
An additional 25 militants were sentenced to prison on lesser charges.
“There will be more bloodshed, there will be no stability, and no security until the tyrant is overthrown. Egypt will become an Islamic state,” one militant, holding the Koran, shouted as the verdicts were being read.
Those sentenced were among 55 men charged with reviving the Islamic fundamentalist movement that assassinated former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. The court cleared 15 of the men.
The court also closed the case against Noshi Rashed, who the court named as the man who blew himself up in a failed attempt to kill Interior Minister Hassan Alfi in August.
A second court Saturday sentenced 17 more militants to between three and five years on charges of belonging to the group. It acquitted 37.
Saturday’s sentences raised to 38 the number of militants condemned to death since President Hosni Mubarak introduced military courts in December to ensure swift punishment for those seeking to topple his government and install an Islamic state.
Fifteen militants were hanged in June and July, the largest number of executions for political crimes in Egypt’s modern history.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
