News Africa Extended

News Africa Extended

Egypt sentences 6 to death over spying for Qatar

Posted: 07 May 2016 07:13 AM PDT

A Cairo court sentenced six defendants to death over charges of allegedly leaking classified documents to Qatar, reports said.

|||

Cairo - An Egyptian Court on Saturday sentenced to death six people linked to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood on charges of spying and leaking “classified documents” to Qatar, state-run Nile TV reported.

Ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi and four other prominent Brotherhood figures are also charged in the case, but the court delayed their verdict till June 18 due over failure to show up in the court room on time, a judge said.

The six convicted defendants include two documentary and media producers with Qatari Al Jazeera channel.

Morsi was convicted in three other cases to death, a life sentence and 20 years in prison.

According to the prosecution, Morsi and the other 10 co-defendants had leaked “classified documents” to Qatar.

The documents allegedly contained secrets on “national security,” and were allegedly traded with the Qatari intelligence for a million dollars.

On May 17, Morsi and 106 supporters of his Muslim Brotherhood received death penalties over a mass jail break following the 2011 uprising that ousted the long time ruler Hosni Mubarak.

The ousted Islamist president, along with Brotherhood guide Mohamed Badei and other seven members of the group, was sentenced to life in prison for conspiring with foreign militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah against Egypt’s national security.

Another court sentenced him to 20 years in prison for clashes that erupted outside a presidential palace in December 2012 between his supporters and opponents, which killed up to 10 people.

Morsi was toppled by the army in 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule. His Muslim Brotherhood group has been designated as a terrorist group.

Hundreds of the group received death and life sentences, mostly over violence, murder and spying charges.

Xinhua

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Floods in Morocco claim six lives

Posted: 07 May 2016 07:13 AM PDT

Six people died and two others went missing following floods caused by heavy rains in southern Morocco, the Interior Ministry said.

|||

Rabat - Six people died and two others went missing following floods caused by heavy rains in southern Morocco, the Moroccan Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

In the province of Taroudant, four people of the same family died after floods swept away their home, while another woman was missing, the ministry said in a statement.

In Ouarzazate province, a woman died when her home was flooded and a man died while trying to cross Oued Dades along with another man who is still missing.

Heavy rains have caused floods in the desert-dominated southern Morocco since Tuesday.

Xinhua

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Uganda rebels in deadly attacks on two villages

Posted: 07 May 2016 06:52 AM PDT

A Ugandan rebel group killed at least 10 people during attacks on two villages in eastern Congo, a rights organisation said.

|||

Beni, Congo - A Ugandan rebel group killed at least 10 people and abducted six others during attacks on two villages in eastern Congo, a rights organisation said on Saturday.

Rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) carried out the attacks in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, a leading activist of the Congo-based human rights organisation CRDH said.

A team was investigating the killings on Friday, coordinator Jean-Paul Ngahangondi told dpa, adding that the number of victims could increase.

The Islamist ADF was founded in Uganda in 1995 and later moved to Congo. It has massacred hundreds of civilians in the eastern Congo in recent years.

On Tuesday, the militia hacked to death with axes and machetes 16 civilians in the locality of Baungatsu-Luna north of the town of Beni, the Centre for the Promotion of Peace, Democracy and Human Rights (CEPADHO) reported.

Dozens of armed groups seeking control over territory and mineral resources have remained active in eastern Congo since the 1996-2003 Congo wars.

DPA

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now