Egypt court convicts 26 Hezbollah men for plotting terror attacks
By DPA, IANSWednesday, April 28, 2010
CAIRO - Egypt’s Emergency State Security Court Wednesday convicted 26 men of plotting attacks in Egypt on behalf of the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, al-Jazeera television reported.
Judge Adil Abdel-Salam Gomaa sentenced members of the group - which includes Egyptians, Lebanese, Sudanese and Palestinians - to between six months and life in prison.
The court’s sentences may not be appealed. Only the president can overturn its verdict.
The 26 detainees were arrested in late 2008 and early 2009 and charged with conspiring to carry out attacks against the Suez Canal and tourist sites within Egypt, spying for a foreign entity, and possession of explosives.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has said the group sent at least one member to Egypt, but says his purpose was to provide assistance to the besieged Gaza Strip, and not to carry out attacks against Egypt.
He accused Egypt of complicity with Israel in maintaining the blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Twenty-two of the detainees claimed in August that they had been tortured.
