Two Egyptian men jailed for blasphemy

CAIRO, July 6 (Reuters) An Egyptian court sentenced two men to jail terms for blasphemy and other religious offences today, judicial sources said.

Abdel Sabour Hassan el-Kashef, described as the leader of an unorthodox Muslim group, received an 11 year sentence and Mohamed Mahmoud Radwan, one of this followers, received three years in jail, they said.

Kashef, who said he was receiving revelations from God, was accused of permitting his followers to practise incest and telling them that they need not pray, fast, or perform the pilgrimage to Mecca, as required under Islamic law.

The court also convicted him of encouraging debauchery and allowing his followers to have sex in his house.

Radwan, who met Kashef in 1999 during a religious festival, was convicted of promoting extremist thought.

In its ruling, the court said the men's teachings had poisoned the minds of simple people.

REUTERS SHB KP2112