The Alexandria Public Prosecution on Wednesday referred five policemen from the now-dissolved State Security Investigation Services to trial before the Alexandria Criminal Court for allegedly torturing and killing Salafi preacher Sayed Bilal. Judicial sources told Al-Masry Al-Youm that the prosecution has accused the defendants of “premeditated murder, torture and sexual molestation” while they investigated Bilal his possible involvement with the New Year's Eve church bombing in Alexandria that killed 23 and injured dozens. Four of the police officers involved, Hossam al-Shinnawy, Osama al-Konayesi, Ahmed Kamel and Mahmoud Abdel Aleem, remain at large, while the final officer, Mohamed al-Shimi, is in jail. The family of 31-year-old Sayed Bilal has accused security authorities of responsibility for his death at the police station on 5 January. The Alexandria Criminal Court sentenced two policemen to seven years in prison Wednesday for killing activist Khaled Saeed on 6 June 2010. Saeed's death was prominent among the grievances that fueled the 25 January revolution.
