CAIRO, Aug 6 (Aswat Masriya) An Egyptian court sentenced on Wednesday 12 defendants to death over charges of killing a police officer in Giza's Kerdasa neighborhood last September.

The authorities had raided Kerdasa last September to capture fugitives when Nabil Farag, Giza's deputy security chief, was killed and nine others, from the police and army, were wounded. 

The operation had followed an attack on Kerdasa police station on August 14 that took place as the authorities dispersed two sit-ins supporting ousted President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood. 

The court referred the defendants' files to the Grand Mufti, the top religious authority, in June. The Mufti's decision is non-binding yet it is customary for the court to adopt it. 

The court sentenced 10 others to life imprisonment and acquitted only one of them. 

The verdict can be appealed before a higher court.

They are charged with murder, attempted murder, arms possession, resisting and attacking the authorities and using unlicensed communication tools to threaten national security.

They were also charged with forming and managing an illegal terrorist group that aims to carry out unconstitutional activities, prevent state institutions from attending to their duties and attack the freedoms of individuals, among other things. 

The Brotherhood was declared a terrorist organisation toward the end of last year.