RAFAH, Palestine
The family of Raed al-Atar, a leading member of Hamas' military wing, on Saturday denied charges of his involvement in breaking into an Egyptian jail during the 2011 uprising in Egypt.
The family of al-Atar, who was killed by the Israeli army during last summer's onslaught on the Gaza Strip, described the Egyptian judiciary as "politically-motivated."
An Egyptian court on Saturday referred 106 defendants, including al-Atar, to the grand mufti to consider death sentences against them on jailbreak charges.
A leading figure in the ranks of Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades – Hamas' military wing – al-Atar was killed in an Israeli raid on the Palestinian city of Rafah on Aug. 21, 2014.
"This is a politicized verdict, and the whole world knows the history of my brother and other martyrs and captives whose conduct had never deviated from resistance to the Israeli occupation," Nasser, al-Atar's brother, told Anadolu Agency.
"The charges leveled against my brother are false; he was always keen on the security and stability of Egypt, and for the country to remain strong as the supporter and protective shield of our people," Nasser added.
Al-Atar's mother, for her part, deplored the verdict against her slain son.
"This is an unjust verdict; my son and all of those who fought against the [Israeli] occupation have never considered killing their Muslim Egyptian brothers," she said.
Earlier Saturday, Deputy Minister of the Interior in Gaza, Kamel Abu Madi, told Anadolu agency that eight dead Palestinians were among those referred to the mufti by the Egyptian court.
