Egypt lifts state of emergency following ex-pres. Morsi's death sentence

CAIRO, May 16 (KUNA) -- Egypt's Interior Ministry Saturday announced a state of emergency nationwide after a court sentenced former president Mohammad Morsi to death and the murder of three Egyptian judges in Sinai, a security source said.
The source, in a statement to the official MENA news agency, said Minister Major-General Majdi Abdulghaffar raised state of emergency to level (C), which meant no leaves would be granted to personnel.
Security measures were heightened at vital facilities, major streets and squares, he added.
Earlier today, Cairo Criminal Court referred case of Morsi, and other defendants charged with suspicious external contacts and prison escape to the Grand Mufti seeking an edict from the supreme religious authority about their execution.
The tribunal set a session on June 2 to issue verdicts in these cases.
Meanwhile, three Egyptian judges were killed and another one wounded in an attack by gunmen in Sinai Peninsula. The three judges were travelling on a bus in the city of Al-Arish, Sinai, when it was attacked by gunmen.
The attack came just a few hours after the court ruling. (end) aff.bs