Egyptian prosecutor in the trial of 16 convicts, held in what is known in the media as the Nusra Front case, said Saturday the accused established a terrorist organization in an attempt to disrupt the constitution and laws and prevent state institutions and public authorities from carrying out their work.
“The members also sought to target the police and shed Egyptian Christians’ blood by recruiting elements and training them on using firearms to target public and private facilities,” the prosecutor said, noting that terrorism was one of the means used by the organization to achieve its purposes.
The Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) ordered that the defendants be referred to the Supreme Emergency State Security Court (SESSC), which adjourned the case to June 8.
“From 2011 until 2014, the first accused assumed the leadership of the organization to damage the national unity and social peace while the second funded the organization and its members to commit terrorist crimes,” according to the investigations carried out by the SSSP.
The defendants transferred the members to Syria to join the Nusra Front. Its affiliated terrorist cells were divided into groups that monitored the targets to be attacked through terrorist operations and gathered information and logistic support to provide needed equipment.
Investigations further showed that a group also promoted the organization’s terrorist and takfiri ideology in order to attract more new recruits.
A number of organizational headquarters were also unveiled during investigations. They were used as training camps or arms and explosives warehouses.
Elements also used desert areas as hideouts.
Separately, the Cairo Criminal Court adjourned to June 9 the retrial of five defendants in the case of the al-Warraq terrorist cell.
They are accused of targeting police officers and public institutions and killing two people, including police secretary Amr Ezzat.
The Public Prosecution has charged the accused with possessing firearms and provocative leaflets, killing civilians and policemen and joining a terrorist group.
