TUNISIA COURT SENTENCES TWO TO DEATH FOR COUP BID

a Tunisian court sentenced two Islamists to death by firing squad after finding them guilty of trying to overthrow the government, defence lawyers and court officials said. Imed Ben Amer and Saber Ragoub were among 30 men put on trial after being arrested following clashes between police and a group of radical Islamists in the Tunis suburbs in December 2006 and January 2007. A total of 14 gunmen were killed in the clashes. The court jailed eight defendants for life, sentenced the rest to jail terms for belonging to a terrorist group, disturbing public order and getting military training. The defendants denied the charges and said they had made confessions to the police because they had been beaten. Defence lawyers walked out of the court in protest, saying the trial was unfair.