Detained Egyptian militants captured after failed escape attempt

Egyptian police captured a detainee who tried to escape from a prison truck which was transporting him and other prisoners from court on Saturday, security sources told Anadolu news agency.

The defendant, Adel Habbara, along with 9 others tried to escape from their truck after it was hit in an accident en route to Cairo’s Tora prison complex.

The defendants were on their way back from a trial in which they are accused of killing 25 Egyptian conscripts in Rafah last year.

Cairo Criminal Court heard a number of witnesses in the Rafah case, in which 34 defendants are standing trial on charges of espionage with al-Qaeda and killing Rafah soldiers. The trial has been adjourned till Monday, to continue hearing witnesses.

Habbara and another defendant who tried to escape with him have been returned to the maximum-security prison Al-Aqrab.