Egyptian court gives life sentence for 8 IS-linked militants An Egyptian court has sentenced eight people to life in prison, after they were convicted of joining a local affiliate of the Islamic State group spearheading an insurgency in Egypt's restive Sinai PeninsulaCAIRO -- An Egyptian court on Monday sentenced eight people to life in prison, after they were convicted of joining a local affiliate of the Islamic State group spearheading an insurgency in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. The Cairo Criminal Court gave 29 others sentences ranging from 15 to 1 year in prison. The court said the defendants were accused of forming and joining IS cells that were active in several provinces including the capital, Cairo, from 2015 to early 2018. It said the defendants are members of a militant group known as Hasm, which has targeted security forces. Egypt has for years been struggling to contain an Islamic insurgency spearheaded by a local affiliate of the extremist Islamic State group in northern Sinai.

Source: ABC News January 27, 2020 12:58 UTC