Egypt's Bible-burning preacher sees prison sentence cut to 5 years

Ahram Online, Tuesday 17 Dec 2013

Cleric Abu Islam's appeal against his conviction was rejected by an Egyptian court

Abu Islam
Muslim cleric Ahmed Abdallah, also known as Abu Islam, waves to supporters as he arrives at court in Cairo October 14, 2012. (Photo: Reuters)

An Egyptian appeal court has rejected the appeal of radical cleric Abu Islam who was jailed after burning a Bible at a protest.

Abu Islam's sentence, originally set at 11 years in prison, was reduced by the court to five years.

Ahmed Abdullah, a radical TV preacher known as Abu Islam, burned copies of the Bible during a rally against an anti-Islam film outside the US embassy in Cairo on 11 September 2012. He also told the crowd he would send his grandson to urinate on the Bible.

In June, a court sentenced him to 11 years in prison and a LE3,000 fine over the incident. His son, who had been sentenced to eight years and a LE2,000 fine, also saw his sentence reduced on Tuesday, to five years.

In a separate case in July 2013, a court sentenced Abu Islam to three years in prison for offending Christianity.

 

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