Appeal granted to Zawahiri's brother

CAIRO, June 29 (UPI) -- The brother of new al-Qaida's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri will be permitted to appeal his 1998 death sentence for terrorism before an Egyptian military court.

Military sources have told the Egyptian daily al-Masry al-Youm Egypt's Supreme Military Court will hear the appeal of Mohamed al-Zawahiri who was tried in absentia in a case involving Islamists who fought against the Soviets in the Balkans.

Egyptian authorities charged the returning fighters with plotting a coup, murdering civilians and targeting tourists and Christians.

Mohamed al-Zawahiri was released in March as part of a government effort to free Islamist prisoners who were detained in political cases.

Zawahiri was arrested three days later when authorities learned of his earlier conviction.