The Ministry of Justice has signed five protocols since June aiming to secure and protect judges and courts from terrorist attacks, a judicial source told Youm7 Thursday.
The protocols aim to “provide comprehensive security for judges and courts to prevent attacks and assassinations of judges, after repetitive assaults by terrorist groups during the past period,” Assistant Justice Minister for Judicial security Magdi Hussein added.
Hussein said that the agreements represent cooperation between the ministry and security directorates in different governorates, including: Menoufia, Beni Suef, Ismailia, Luxor and Aswan.
During the past month, Hussein carried out field visits to some courts to stand on the “Security gaps,” especially at courts of: New Cairo, South Cairo, Primary Giza, as well as the Forensic authority and the real estate in Giza, he explained.
Amid frequent attacks mounted by militant groups at police and public utilities across the country, judges have been a target for such groups, scoring a number of assassinations and killings over the past months.
The latest attack took place in November during the parliamentary elections held in Arish city in North Sinai, killing of two judges among seven causalities when militants stormed a hotel, shot live fire and detonated an explosive belt.
The latest attack was in November at a North Sinai hotel hosting judges overseeing the parliamentary elections in the restive governorate, leading at least seven victims including two judges.
In May, another attack took place in the North Sinai, where three judges were shot dead and three others were injured while on a bus traversing in the area.
Egypt’s top prosecutor Hisham Barakat was assassinated on June 29 after a bombing attack targeted his convoy in a district north of Cairo.
