On Tuesday an Egyptian military court dealt a life sentence to a Muslim Brotherhood member for violence against the army. The verdict was handed down over the 14 August attacks by supporters of deposed president Mohamed Morsi that targeted the armed forces, churches and civilians in the port city of Suez. Forty-eight other defendants were given sentences between five to 15 years in prison, while 12 were acquitted of the same charges. The Morsi supporters were found guilty of widespread violence following the security crackdowns on Muslim Brotherhood protests in Cairo. Charges levelled against the defendants include murder and attempted murder of both security forces and civilians, spreading chaos, destroying infrastructure, burning three churches and destroying nine armoured vehicles valued at EGP20 million. Four other leading Brotherhood members were arrested on Tuesday. Former Shura Council member Hassan Ali Mahmoud Al-Banna was arrested in the Beheira governorate for leading an attack on the Housh Eissa police station. In Minya police arrested former governor Dr. Mustafa Issa, and Yasser Zaidan Saleh—a Brotherhood leader accused of murder and burning churches. In Qena former Freedom and Justice Party parliament member Mahmoud Yousef was arrested for inciting violence. Since his ouster, Morsi and a number of high ranking Muslim Brotherhood members have been arrested and detained, including Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie and his deputies Khairat El-Shater and Rashad Bayoumi. Badie, El-Shater and Bayoumi will face trial next month for the killing of protestors outside the Muslim Brotherhood headquarters in Mokattam on 29 June. Life sentences in Egypt carry a maximum of 25 years in prison.
