CAIRO — Egyptian public prosecutor Nabil Sadek ordered Aug. 5 the urgent referral of 11 defendants, including four Libyans, to the National Security Court (NSC). They were accused of spying for members of the Islamic State (IS) in Libya with the aim of committing terrorist crimes against Egyptians in Libya.

Sadek said in a statement on Aug. 5 that the investigations conducted by the public prosecutor's office confirmed the defendants abducted and tortured Egyptian expats to obtain a ransom from their relatives for their release. They also committed the crimes of spying and supplying IS with money and information, and human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

The same statement pointed out that the prosecution office with the NSC has launched its investigation into the findings of the National Security Agency. According to these findings released Aug. 5, defendant Mohamed Ragab Abdel Wahed Hassan, of Egyptian nationality, was found to have worked with Bedouin groups to smuggle Egyptians through the country’s western border into Libya.

Hassan was also accused of collaborating with members of IS in Libya, namely Libyan defendants Imad Ahmed Abdul Salam al-Warfali, Muftah Ahmed Abdul Salam al-Warfali, Ayad Ahmed Abdul Salam al-Warfali and Marwan al-Ghareeb. He allegedly provided them with information from within the country about Egyptians travelers and expats in Libya.