Egypt convicts 16 of being in banned group

HAEKSTEP, Egypt -- A military court convicted 16 members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group Tuesday, mostly academics and professionals, on charges of conspiring against the government and sentenced them to up to five years in prison.

The convictions, part of a crackdown on Islamic militants, were derided by the defendants and their lawyers as a politically motivated attempt to reassure Washington that Egypt is battling extremism in the wake of Sept. 11.

London-based Amnesty International and Egypt's oldest human rights group, the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights, also criticized the case, saying civilians should not be tried in a military court and urging their immediate release.

On hearing the verdicts, the defendants shouted "God is great!" and repeated Brotherhood slogans.

The men were accused of subversion, sedition and recruiting new members for the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest Islamic opposition bloc and a sharp critic of government policies. Six defendants were acquitted. Of the 16 convicted, five received five-year prison terms and 11 were sentenced to three years.

"The group manipulated the minds of the youth and of the simple people, secretly worked to recruit new members and provided training courses ... to fulfill their personal aim: to rule the country," Judge Ahmed el-Anwar said.

No court of appeal

The verdicts cannot be appealed; only President Hosni Mubarak has the authority to overturn them.

Amnesty International urged the Egyptian government to "immediately and unconditionally" release the convicted men.

"The imprisonment of 16 alleged Muslim Brothers, following an unfair trial before the Supreme Military Court, shows yet again that freedom of expression and association continue to be seriously curtailed in Egypt," Amnesty International said in a statement.

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights urged Mubarak not to accept the verdicts.

The government banned the Muslim Brotherhood in 1954, accusing it of advocating the violent overthrow of Egypt's government.

Leaders of the 74-year-old group say they renounced violence decades ago and strive to use democratic means to transform Egypt into a Muslim state. Although the Brotherhood is barred from participating in elections as a political party, 17 candidates it supported in 2000 parliamentary elections won seats as independents.

In recent years, Egyptian police have clamped down on the Brotherhood, referring members for military trials.