Egypt

Egyptian accused of attacking synagogue to be tried in February

The man charged with charged with attempting to bomb a historic synagogue in the heart of Cairo will face trial on 17 February, the Cairo Criminal Court announced on Tuesday.

Gamal Ahmed, 49, allegedly placed a makeshift bomb near the Jewish monastery on Adly Street. No deaths or injuries occurred.

Authorities arrested the suspect in late February and referred him for trial.

The prosecution charged Ahmed with possession of unlicensed explosives and intent to disturb public security and order.

The court received a copy of the suspect's medical report in December 2010, which declared him to be sane and, therefore, fully responsible for the act.

According to the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Ahmed was connected with an extremist group that burned down videotape shops in 1984. He was not, however, referred for trial in connection with those cases.

The Foreign Ministry also said Ahmed was a drug addict who has been arrested and tried in relation to several narcotics cases. He was also admitted to a public psychiatric clinic in 1991, according to the ministry.

Ahmed has said the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories motivated his attempted attack on the synagogue.

Translated from the Arabic Edition.

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