Cairo Criminal Court issued Tuesday preliminary death sentences on six people convicted of attacking a Qalyubiya police checkpoint, killing one sergeant, in 2016. The accused were all convicted of killing the sergeant and attempting to kill a policeman and others securing Khosous checkpoint in northern Cairo in April 2016. The case also includes six other defendants, but the court did not yet rule on their cases. According to investigations, the first convict formed and led an illegal terrorist group opposed to the constitution and laws, with the goal to obstruct state institutions from carrying out their duties, adopting a discourse accusing the president of being an infidel, attempting to change the regime by force, and assaulting army personnel and policemen. He also facilitated recruitment, training the other defendents on the use of weapons with the intent to kill policemen. The court referred the case to the country's Grand Mufti for a non-binding opinion on the death sentences, as per Egyptian law. A final sentence, following the Grand Mufti's opinion, as well as rulings on the other six defendants charged in the case, will be issued by the court 28 August.
