World Bulletin / News Desk
An Egyptian court on Monday referred four men convicted of "collaborating with Al-Qaeda" to Egypt's grand mufti, the country's top religious authority, to consider possible death sentences against them, a judicial source has said.
A Cairo criminal court referred three Egyptians and an Iraqi Kurd – in absentia – to Grand Mufti Shawki Allam over charges that they had collaborated with Al-Qaeda and provided the militant group with security-related information.
The mufti's opinion is not binding. But under Egyptian law, judges must hear the mufti's point of view on the issue before issuing any death sentences.
"The defendants collaborated with a terrorist organization outside the country with the aim of carrying out terrorist acts in Egypt against members of the armed forces in Sinai, the U.S. and French embassies, and ambassadors to Egypt," according to prosecution authorities.
The court has adjourned trial proceedings to Feb. 8, when it will issue a final verdict.
