Egypt court sentences 7 to death over terrorism charges

CAIRO, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court on Saturday has sentenced seven people to death for joining the Islamic State (IS) in Libya and contributing in beheading 21 Copts, official news agency MENA reported.

The defendants formed a cell in the north coast city of Marsa Matrouh province bordering Libya for training and recruiting new elements, and planning for terrorist operations, the prosecutor said.

Cairo Criminal Court referred the files of seven members of the militant group to the country's highest religious authority, the Grand Mufti, for his non-binding Islamic legal opinion on their execution.