CAIRO, Jul 6 (Aswat Masriya) - Late prosecutor general Hisham Barakat's case was referred to State Security prosecutors on Monday for further investigation, the prosecution said in a statement.

The state's top prosecutor was killed one week ago when a bomb targeted his motorcade in Cairo. He was honoured in a military funeral the following day.  

Assisstant Prosecutor General Zakaria Abdel Aziz Othman issued the order to refer the case to the higher State Security prosecutors, the prosecution's statement said.  

The State Security, a police branch that has its own prosecution and courts, was renamed to Homeland Security after the January 2011 uprising.

The State Security prosecution, however, retained its name. Typically, State Security prosecutors look into cases that affect national security.

Militancy inside Egypt has seen a significant rise since the military ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Mursi in July 2013, which was prompted by mass protests against his rule.

Barakat's assassination last week makes him the most senior state official killed since Mursi's removal. 

The public prosecution ordered a media gag on his case last Thursday but the gag does not include statements from the prosecution.