Posted on 04/07/2007 10:43:48 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
CAIRO, Egypt - Egypt's top civilian court on Saturday overruled an order to release a leading Islamic militant who spent more than 20 years behind bars in connection to the assassination of President Anwar Sadat.
The court also referred to a security court the case of another man who is the alleged leader of Egypt's Islamic Jihad and was also convicted in Sadat's assassination.
Tarek el-Zomor, 47, was ordered released in July 2005, but he was never set free because of an Interior Ministry discretion to hold a prisoner for up to five more years on security grounds.
El-Zomor was arrested along with his cousin, Lt. Abboud el-Zomor, 60, for taking part in Sadat's killing during a Cairo military parade on Oct. 6, 1981.
They were convicted in 1984 of plotting the assassination and of belonging to the outlawed Islamic Jihad group — but not of actually killing Sadat. The five prime suspects, including the shooter, were captured and executed.
Both were sentenced to 20 years in prison, the maximum term under Egyptian law.
The Supreme Court ordered Abboud el-Zomor's case transferred to the State Security Court, for trial on charges of belonging to the banned Islamic Jihad group, the judicial official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.
The move is believed likely to get Abboud el-Zomor a swift, no-appeals trial.
Abboud el-Zomor is believed to be the leader of the Islamic Jihad, a principal militant group behind the Egyptian president's assassination. The group was once led by Osama bin Laden's top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri. The Egyptian group is not related to the Palestinian group of the same name.
In the late 1990s, Egypt's Islamic Jihad merged with al-Qaida.
is he a “militant”
or
a “terrorist”?
..convicted in 1984 of plotting the assassination and of belonging to the outlawed Islamic Jihad group — but not of actually killing Sadat.
—
Good question. Terrorist sure seems like a better fit.. leave it to ap to muddle the issue.
i trust the media NOT.
i have this idea that one of the reasons that they deny us the word “terrorist”
is because “terrorist” is a powerful word. it really describes what the islamicists do, i.e., daniel pearl, etc.
on the other hand, “militant” is close to “militia”, used by the media for the shites’ sadr.
“militia” is a respectable word in american history; thereby, the media legitimizes the enemy, sadr.
Good points.
Take care and have a Good Easter.
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