Trial of 213 Ansar Beit Maqdis militants delayed to July 4

The Cairo Criminal Court postponed Thursday to July 4 the trial of 213 defendants of Ansar Beit Maqdis militant group charged with involvement in 54 terrorist crimes against police.

The crimes include a failed assassination attempt on former interior minister Mohamed Ibrahim, the killing of a number of police officers and setting security facilities, including the security directorates of Cairo, Dakahlia and South Sinai on fire.

Investigations showed that the defendants were trained in the camps of Ezzel Din Qassam, the military wing of Hamas and that they plotted to target ships transiting Suez Canal.

They face charges of joining a terrorist group aiming at disrupting national security and public order, collaborating with a foreign organization represented in Hamas to sabotage State institutions, illegal possession of arms and ammunition and premeditated murder.

Investigations also showed that former president Mohamed Morsi was in contact with the militant group leaderships while he was in power and that they agreed that Hamas would not to carry out any terrorist attacks while he was in office.

The 54 terrorist crimes the defendants are implicated in had left 42 policemen and 15 civilians dead and 349 others wounded.

Ansar Beit Maqdis has claimed responsibility for most of the major attacks against security forces and their installations, with the deadliest assaults taking place in the restive Sinai Peninsula.