Egyptian court sentences 5 Muslim Brotherhood members to life in jail over violence

CAIRO, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court sentenced on Sunday five members of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group to life imprisonment terms over charges of violence.

The Cairo criminal court has also sentenced four other members of the group to 15 years in prison, official MENA news agency reported.

All defendants, who belong to the banned group of ousted Islamist President Mohamed Morsi, were found guilty of several charges including joining an illegal group, committing violent acts and possessing firearms and ammunition, MENA said.

Two of the convicts were tried in absentia.

Morsi was ousted by the military in July 2013, in response to mass protests, and his Muslim Brotherhood group was labeled as a terrorist organization.

A later massive security crackdown on Morsi's supporters left hundreds dead and thousands arrested.

Since Morsi's ouster, Egypt has been suffering terrorist activities that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers as well as civilians, with most of them claimed by a Sinai-based terrorist group affiliated with the regional Islamic State militant group.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian security forces have killed hundreds of terrorists and arrested thousands of suspects during the country's ongoing anti-terror war. Enditem