Egypt convicts 'Hezbollah members'

A court in the Egyptian capital of Cairo has sentenced 26 alleged members of a Hezbollah cell in Egypt accused of planning attacks on tourists and smuggling weapons into neighbouring Gaza, the Palestinian territory.

Three of them have been sentenced to life in prison, while the other 23 received jail terms ranging from 6 months to 15 years.

Hezbollah is a Lebanon-based group that was formed in the 1980s to resist Israeli occupation and has been engaged in numerous wars with Israel.

Amr El-Kahky reports from Cairo.

[April 28, 2010]