Forensics prove Hezbollah suspects 'not tortured'

Cairo: Medical examinations have proved that Arab nationals, arrested by Egypt for alleged links with the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah, were not tortured by Egyptian police, forensic sources have said.

"We performed the medical check-ups on the defendants at their lawyers' requests, and the results showed no signs of torture," added the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Defence lawyers for the suspects, who face charges of planning to carry out terror attacks in Egypt, had claimed their clients' confessions were made under coercion.

Earlier this month, Egypt said it had smashed a ring with alleged links to Hezbollah. The ring is alleged to have been planning to launch terror attacks in Sinai.

The alleged mastermind of the 49-member cell is Mohammad Yousuf Mansour, a Lebanese national, also known as Sami Shebab. Other suspects are Egyptians, Palestinians and Sudanese.

A bill of indictment is expected to be announced soon against the suspects, who include 24 fugitives, according to security sources.

They face other charges of espionage and planning to overthrow the Egyptian government. The charges carry the death penalty.