Egypt’s prosecution said on Sunday that a number of Egyptians affiliated with "Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) were involved in the beheading of 21 Copts in Libya in February 2015. Egypt’s armed forces carried out airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in Libya last year, hours after ISIS released a video showing the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Copts in Libya. Prosecution had referred 20 people to court for forming a terrorist cell affiliated to the "Islamic State" group in Libya, saying that a number of the defendants had been involved in the beheading of the 21 Egyptians. "The intent behind killing the Copts in Libya was to lure the army into fighting elements of the Islamic State in Libya," the prosecution said. Egypt listed the Islamic State group and their affiliates a “terrorist organisation” as per a court ruling in November 2014.

Source: Egypt Independent November 28, 2016 09:04 UTC