Egypt sends Mursi, others, to trial for international conspiracy

Egypt’s public prosecutor ordered former President Mohammed Mursi and 34 other Islamists to stand trial on charges including conspiring with foreign groups to commit terrorist acts in Egypt and divulging military secrets to a foreign state.

The charges levelled against Mursi and other top Muslim Brotherhood members on Wednesday could result in their execution.

Mursi is already standing trial for inciting violence during protests outside the presidential palace a year ago when he was still in office. He was deposed in July by the army following mass protests against his rule.

In a statement, the prosecutor said the Brotherhood had committed acts of violence and terrorism in Egypt and prepared a “terrorist plan” that included an alliance with the Palestinian group Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah. There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Hezbollah.

The charge sheet called it “the biggest case of conspiracy in the history of Egypt”. It accused the Brotherhood of carrying out attacks on security forces in North Sinai after he was deposed on July 3.

It said the Brotherhood had hatched a plan dating back to 2005 that would send “elements” to the Gaza Strip for military training by Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.