The Cairo Criminal Court referred to the Grand Mufti on Thursday a death sentence for Islamist militant Adel Habara and 34 others, a preliminary step required before death sentences against any defendant can be finalised.

The court has set 14 November for the final verdict following the Grand Mufti's decision.

Although referral to the Grand Mufti is a necessary procedure before the enacting of a death sentence, according to Egyptian law, the religious opinion of the Mufti is non-binding. 

In December 2014, the Cairo Criminal Court issued death sentences against Habara and six others for carrying out the execution-style killings of 25 policemen in a Sinai ambush in August 2013. The attack was dubbed in the media as "the second Rafah massacre."

The defendants appealed the sentence and the case went through a retrial, in which another death sentence was handed down.

Six out of the 34 defendants are being tried in absentia.

This is the second death sentence for Habara for being part of a jihadist group.