Egypt: Life term for senior Brotherhood leader found 'spying for Hamas'

Mahmoud Ezzat

20 Dec 2021; MEMO: A criminal court in Egypt yesterday sentenced deputy guide of the Muslim Brotherhood Mahmoud Izzat to life imprisonment over allegations of spying for Hamas, Arabi21 reported.

This is the third life sentence against Izzat since August 2020. He was sentenced to death in absentia over the claim and appealed after he was detained in August 2020.

During sentencing, Judge Shereen Fahmi accused Izzat of betraying Egypt and carrying out deeds that harm national security.

One of the charges against Izzat was his participation in the Islamic-American Dialogue conference organised by Brookings Centre in 2004 in Doha. Former US President Bill Clinton attended the conference.

Egypt claims Izzat attended the conference in order to contact official and non-official foreign sides to gain support to carry out a coup in Egypt.