3 Egyptians, 6 Israelis given life terms for ‘spying for Israel’

An Egyptian court today sentenced six Israelis and three Egyptians to life in prison in an espionage case that dates back to 2013, the Anadolu Agency reported, citing an Egyptian source.

The case is commonly referred to in the Egyptian media as the “Ovadia” spy ring trial, named after Danny Ovadia, an Israeli intelligence officer who played a key role in spying on Egypt for Israel, according to Egyptian prosecutors.

Citing an Egyptian source, the Anadolu Agency reported that two of the Egyptian defendants, Ouda Talab Ibrahim Barham and Salama Hamed Farhan Abu Grad, attended the trial while a third, Mohamed Ahmed Aiada Abu Grad, along with six Israeli citizens were sentenced in absentia. The Israelis consist of four military intelligence officers and two Arab-Israelis.

The ruling was issued by the North Sinai Criminal Court, and is subject to appeal, according to the source. Life sentences in Egypt last for 25 years.

In June 2013, Egypt’s Supreme State Security Prosecution referred the nine defendants for criminal trials over accusations that they provided Israeli intelligence services with information that could harm Egyptian national security and the security situation in Sinai, such as the locations of security bodies, tunnels and ambushes in the city of Rafah.