The prosecutor general’s office announced on Saturday the referral of three defendants to the Giza Criminal Court.
The defendants are facing charges of establishing a “terrorist cell” and plotting to target police and military personnel, as well as planning to attack Christians and their private property, and storming a police station in Al Hawamdia.
“Investigations have confirmed the involvement of the defendants in spreading chaos and panic,” the statement said.
Investigations claimed that the defendants – who are allegedly believers in takfiri ideology – were caught in possession of large amounts of weapons and ammunition as the security forces stormed a residence of one of the defendants.
Since the military’s ousting of president Mohamed Morsi on 3 July of last year, the country has witnessed waves of violence, which came to a peak during the violent dispersal of pro-Morsi sit-ins at Rabaa Al-Adaweya and Nahda squares.
The Rabaa camp was violently dispersed by security forces. Human Rights Watch said at least 817 people were killed during the dispersal, but stated that the actual death toll is likely to be at least 1,000.
