An Egyptian court on Monday sentenced 37 defendants, including a key militant, to death over terrorism-related charges. The verdict against Hesham Ashmawi, a former Egyptian army officer, and the other defendants was issued by the Cairo Criminal Court. Ashmawi was arrested in Libya’s eastern city of Derna, a stronghold of Islamist militias in late 2018 and handed over to Egyptian authorities in May. In November, Ashmawi was sentenced to death by hanging in another terrorism case. He was also charged with involvement in a string of attacks on Egyptian security forces before he fled to neighbouring Libya in late 2017.

Source: Punch March 02, 2020 14:26 UTC