14 Muslim Brotherhood members sentenced to death in Egypt

All 14 members of the Brotherhood have been found guilty of planning attacks against the state

Mohammed Badie during his trial in Cairo (Getty)

Fourteen senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood, including its leader Mohammed Badie, have been sentenced to death in Egypt by a criminal court.

The decision was issued on 16 March, with a date of 11 April set to formally issue the ruling after consultation with the country’s grand mufti. The mufti is tasked with reviewing all death penalty cases, but his decision is not binding.

All 14 members of the Brotherhood, which was denounced as a "terrorist organisation" and banned in 2013, have been found guilty of planning attacks against the state, according to various reports from state media.

The case is rooted in violence that swept the country after the military-led coup against Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, whose supporters set up large protest encampments in Cairo.

Security forces ended the sit-ins, with violence, resulting in the death of hundreds of people. In retaliation, many police stations and churches came under attack by alleged Morsi supporters.

The Giza Criminal Court convicted Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie and 13 others of orchestrating the violence.

David Cameron today pulled a long-awaited report on the Muslim Brotherhood which was due on Monday afternoon, in an apparent attempt to avert a potential row with Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

A decision on Britain’s attitude to the Muslim Brotherhood is likely to be put off until after the general election.

Additional reporting by AP