Africa

Africa

Egyptian court sentences 14 Islamists to death

15 August 2012 00:52 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. An Egyptian criminal court sentenced 14 Islamists, members of "Tawhid and Jihad" movement, to death on Tuesday, after convicting them of attacking a police station and a bank in North Sinai last year, APA reports.

The Criminal Court in Ismailia issued the death sentences for the 14 out of 25 militants as they were convicted of attacking Arish police station and breaking into an Alexandria Bank branch in North Sinai in June and July last year, killing seven officers and soldiers, according to Ahram website.

The verdicts for the other 11 militants will be announced in a court session on Sept. 24, the report added.

"Tawhid and Jihad" is a hard-line extremist movement. The verdict came along with a heavy military crackdown in Sinai Peninsula on militants after a recent attack on a checkpoint in the border area, an assault leaving 16 soldiers killed and seven others injured.