Trial of 213 Ansar Beit El Maqdis delayed till next Tuesday

The Cairo Criminal Court adjourned till next Tuesday the trial of 213 defendants of "Ansar Beit El Maqdis" militant group, charged with being involved in 54 terrorist crimes against Egyptian police troops, security premises as well as attempted assassination of former interior minister Mohammad Ibrahim.

The decision came to continue listening to the prosecution witnesses.

The crimes, committed by the defendants, include a failed assassination attempt on former interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim, the killing of a number of police officers and setting fire to security facilities, including the security directorates of Cairo, Dakahlia and South Sinai.

Investigations showed that the defendants were trained in the camps of Ezzel Din Qassam, the military wing of Palestinian movement Hamas and that they plotted to target ships transiting the Suez Canal.

They face charges of joining a terrorist group aiming at disrupting national security and public order, collaborating with a foreign organization represented in Hamas to sabotage state institutions, illegal possession of arms and ammunition and premeditated murder.

Investigations also showed that ousted president Mohamed Morsi was in contact with the militant group leaderships while he was in power and that they agreed that Hamas would not carry out any terrorist attacks while he was in office.

The 54 terrorist crimes the defendants are implicated in had left 42 policemen and 15 civilians dead and 349 others wounded.

Ansar Beit El Maqdis has claimed responsibility for most of the major attacks against security forces and their installations, with the deadliest assaults taking place in Sinai.