(AFP Photo / Gianluigi Guercia)
By Yasmin Sameh
Grand Mufti Shawqi Ibrahim approved Wednesday an execution verdict for 26 people convicted in absentia of forming a terrorist cell that targeted the Suez Canal.
In a statement released by the Cairo Criminal Court, the Mufti said, in his religious opinion, the verdict is valid because the crime has been proven with undisputed evidence.
“Since laws are designed to reform society, they must be judged in public,” the Mufti said. “The height of corruption is threatening people’s security and assaulting their property.”
The court sentenced 26 of 27 convicts to death. The remaining defendant was sentenced to serve 15 years in a high-security prison.
The alleged “terrorist cell” is accused of targeting ships and barges passing through the Suez Canal, and bombing security headquarters. They have also committed crimes in Cairo, Daqahleya, and Damietta governorates, according to state-owned Ahram.
Police investigations concluded that the group was in possession of fir arms, ammunition, and melee weapons. The group was active between 2004 and 2009 in such areas as Nasr City, Mansoura, Talkha, and New Damietta, according to Al-Ahram.
Attorney General of the Supreme State Security Prosecution Khaled Dia’a Al Din oversaw the referral of the case, which was conducted by Supreme State Security Prosecution.
