COURTHOUSE; CHAFFI AND OTHERS ARRIVING; ACCUSED ENTERING COURT AND RECEIVING SENTENCE.




Initials JSU/V/JB/SIM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: FIVE MEN, INCLUDING THREE FORMER GOVERNMENT LEADERS, WERE YESTERDAY (MONDAY) SENTENCED TO HARD LABOUR FOR LIFE FOR ATTEMPTING TO OVERTHROW EGYPT'S PRESIDENT NASSER AFTER LAST YEAR'S ARAB-ISRAELI WAR.

VERDICTS WERE ANNOUNCED BY A TRIBUNAL WHICH EARLIER THIS YEAR HEARD EVIDENCE AGAINST 54 DEFENDANTS ACCUSED OF PLOTTING TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT BY FORCE.

AMONG THE FIVE GIVEN LIFE SENTENCES WERE THE FORMER WAR MINISTER, SHAMS BADRAN, FORMER INTELLIGENCE CHIEF, SALAH NASR, AND THE FORMER DEPUTY PREMIER AND ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE ARAB SOCIALIST UNION, GENERAL ARABS RADWAN.

TWO OTHER DEFENDANTS, A STORMTROOPS OFFICER AND AN AIR BASE COMMANDER, WERE EACH SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS HARD LABOUR BY THE TRIBUNAL WHICH WAS HEADED BY VICE PRESIDENT HOUSSEN EL CHAFFI. THESE SEVEN DEFENDANTS WERE DESCRIBED IN THE INDICTMENT AS THE RINGLEADERS OF THE ATTEMPT TO TOPPLE PRESIDENT NASSER LAST AUGUST. THEY WERE ALSO CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO REINSTATE BY FORCE THE LATE FIELD MARSHALL ABDEL HAKIM AMER AS DEPUTY SUPREME COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES.

FIELD MARSHAL AMER COMMITTED SUICIDE LAST SEPTEMBER SOON AFTER DISCOVERY OF THE ALLEGED PLOT.