A Cairo court has sentenced Islamist preacher Ahmed Abdullah, known as “Abu Islam", to 11 years in prison on charges of tearing up a Bible, defaming religion and disturbing peace and security.

The court ordered his detention for five years for ripping up a Bible, three years on the charge of defaming religion and three more years for disturbing public peace and security.

Abu Islam, who owns the religious al-Omma satellite channel, also faces charges of insulting the Christian faith in another lawsuit.