CAIRO: State Security Emergency Criminal Court sentenced on Wednesday Gamal Hussien Ahmed, 49, to five years in prison for attempting to bomb a synagogue in downtown Cairo on Feb. 21, 2010. Defense lawyer Montasser El-Zayyat asked for another chance to allow Ahmed to give his testimony again, without the fear and hesitation that characterized his behavior since his arrest under the fallen regime. El-Zayyat claimed this would reveal what had prevented him from speaking out and what forced him to confess to actions that were coordinated with regional events. The court's head Judge Gamal El-Din Safwat called Ahmed and told him "You as a man who understands religion…", but Ahmed interrupted him saying "Your ruling is a big failure, you are all infidels and ruling is only to God." The judge then resumed, handing Ahmed the five-year sentence. The hearing, scheduled for last Wednesday, had been postponed because of a referendum on constitutional amendments held Saturday. The prosecution asked for the maximum punishment in light the defendant's confession that he planned to target an Israeli facility in Egypt but settled on the synagogue in downtown Cairo. He rented a room at the hotel right in front of the synagogue and carried four explosives. After entering the room, he threw the four canisters at the temple but they landed on the adjacent pavement. He escaped but was arrested two days later. The State Security prosecution charged him with the possession of explosives for terrorism purposes, attempting to kill passersby, attempted vandalism of public property and disturbing public peace and security. El-Zayyat left the courtroom after hearing the verdict without giving any comments.
