Egypt court sends 14 to gallows over Senai attacks

An Egyptian court on Monday upheld the death sentences awarded to 14 Islamist militants who carried out a deadly attack on a police station in North Sinai, killing an army officer, five policemen and a civilian.

This is the first trial of Islamist militants under the rule of the government of Muslim Brotherhood. The 14 men were convicted for attacking a police station in North Sinai's main town of Arish in July 2011, killing seven people, including five policemen, the court said.

Only six of the condemned men were present in court, others were convicted in absentia while one of the accused passed away during the trial. Footage from inside the court showed the bearded defendants wearing the white overalls for detainees, standing or sitting in a metal cage. One of them was brought into court in a wheelchair.

The convicted were all accused of being members of Al-Tawhid Wal Jihad, one of the banned groups being targeted in a security crackdown on militants in the desert peninsula. The group kept a low profile after its founders were killed by police following deadly bombings on tourist sites.

The group showed a resurgence after the January 25 revolution overthrew President Hosni Mubarak 18 months ago and some members of the group fled prison and began to regroup, security experts and residents in Sinai say.