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Egypt court sentences 10 people to death for Qaeda links

Egypt

An Egyptian court on Thursday confirmed the death sentences against 10 people charged with riots that occurred in 2012 in Egypt, a judicial source said.

The defendants are among a group of 68 people accused of forming an al-Qaeda-linked cell, including the brother of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

In August, the court had referred the 10 defendants to the grand mufti, Egypt’s top religious authority, to consider possible death sentences against them.

It’s been a long time that I have been in front of his tomb. But I visit now to tell him: thank God, I fought for it, respects for your rights, and I succeeded at the end of the mission. Now you can rest, my son,” said the mother of the victim, Samah.

The court also sentenced 20people to 25 years in prison each on similar charges.

Sixteen others, including Zawahri were acquitted by the court, the source said.

Egypt sentences 10 people to death for Qaeda links http://t.co/NL1GHw5PuU http://t.co/JhXvp5COt1

— Yeni Haber (@yenihaberden) October 15, 2015

Egypt has witnessed violence and unrest since the military overthrew a democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi in a military coup more than two years ago.

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