Egypt Officials Told To Seek Cleric’s U.S. Release

An Egyptian administrative court ordered the Foreign Ministry to seek the release of convicted terrorist cleric Omar Abdel-Rahman from a U.S. prison, the state-run Ahram Gate website reported yesterday.

Abdel-Rahman, known as the blind sheik, is serving a life sentence in the U.S. after being convicted in 1995 of participating in a failed 1993 plot to blow up the World Trade Center and other New York City landmarks.

In its ruling, the Egyptian court said the ministry had taken no steps to date to secure Abdel-Rahman’s U.S. release on grounds of his deteriorating health, based on reports submitted by his family.

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi has said he would seek Abdel-Rahman’s release.

Bloomberg