Saudi embassy attacks: Egyptian cop gets five years in jail

Cairo, Aug 26 (IANS) A Cairo criminal court sentenced a police officer to five years in jail and 74 others to one-year suspended sentence over attacks on the Saudi Arabian embassy here last year, state media reported Sunday.

Another accused was referred to a child court, Xinhua reported quoting official news agency MENA.

Police officer Omar Afifi was tried in absentia for inciting people on the Internet to use knives and other weapons to assault the security men and vandalise the public facilities and buildings.

The attacks occurred last year during anti-Israel protests in Egypt, leaving three people dead and 105 injured, including 44 people from the police forces.

The accused were charged with using violence and weapons to attack diplomatic missions and setting on fire the Giza Security Directorate for a terrorist purpose.