The Cairo Court of Appeal set 26 February as the start date for the first session of the trial of 27 defendants in front of the Criminal Court on charges of creating and managing a terrorist group, intending to assault the freedom of people and harming national unity and social peace.
According to Medhat Idris, head of the technical office of the Cairo Court of Appeal, the defendants called for people to reject society as "infidel" and to attack members of the armed forces, the police and Christians, in addition to attacking their houses of worship, property and possessions. They also allegedly called for people to target foreign tourists, as well as public and foreign facilities and the Suez Canal.
Some defendants also face charges of leading a terrorist cell in order to target ships passing through the Suez Canal and to manufacture missiles, as well as monitor security headquarters in preparation for the target.
Others are accused of manufacturing explosives, acquiring and possessing firearms, machine guns, fireworks and ammunition.
Idris noted that determining the trial date came after the decision to allocate nine court circles to crimes relating to terrorism.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
