Trial of Matrouh cell members adjourned until July 18

CAIRO, June 20 (MENA) - Cairo Criminal Court on Tuesday postponed until July 18 the trial of 20 defendants of a Daesh-affiliated terror cell in Matrouh.

The trial was delayed to listen to pleadings of lawyers representing the defendants.

The High State Security Prosecution in November 2016 referred the defendants, including five who are still at large, to criminal court.

Some of the defendants face charges of taking part in the slaughtering of 21 Egyptian Copts by Daesh militants in Libya in February, according to the prosecution's investigations.

Investigations also uncovered that this heinous crime was meant to drag the Egyptian army to hunt down Daesh militants in Libya.

Investigations also revealed that members of the 19-strong cell had first contacted Daesh leaders in Libya through the internet and via sneaking into Libya from border areas.

They had agreed to form a group embracing Takfiri doctrine and carry ou hostile attacks against police and the army and their facilities in a bid to spread chaos and topple the Egyptian state.

The second defendant, identified as Mohamed Sayed Hegazi, had formed the group in Matrouh that received weapons smuggled from Libya.

All defendants who joined the cell had either been trained in camps in desert areas on the outskirts of Matrouh or in camps inside Libya and Syria.

They had been trained on the use of weapons and manufacturing of explosive devices.

The group was responsible for many terrorist attacks, including planting bombs behind the Matrouh courthouse and Matrouh police station.

They were also responsible for setting fire to warehouses of the police force in Matrouh.

Explosive materials, tools used in manufacturing bombs, as well as CDs featuring military training of Daesh militants were found in their possession. (MENA)