JUST IN:Court sentences 4 Islamists to 25 years in prison over terror charges in Egypt

An Egyptian Court on Monday sentenced four Islamists to 25 years in prison on terrorism charges that included an attack on a courthouse in Cairo and the killing of a police detective.

The Supreme Military Court also sentenced five others to between three and 15 years in prison in the case that dates back to 2016.

All of the defendants were also convicted of blasting ATMs at three Cairo banks; attacking a restaurant and several mobile company stores; joining a terrorist group; and possessing weapons and explosives.

The case involved Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Kamal, who was wanted by authorities and at large when he was killed in a fire of exchange with police in the southern Cairo district of Basatin.

The verdicts can be still appealed.

Thousands of Muslim Brotherhood members and followers have been rounded up and tried in different cases since the 2013 overthrow of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected but divisive president.

The Egyptian government has accused the Islamist group of involvement in a wave of militant violence in the country following Morsi’s ouster and designated it a terrorist organisation.

The group has denied the charge and accused authorities of oppression.

(NAN)

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