A homemade bomb exploded in the city centre. Two more are discovered at the airport. Al-Sisi's government is criticised for human rights violations, but ordinary Egyptians praise him for trying to improve security and the economy.

Cairo (AsiaNews) - A homemade bomb exploded near a bus station in central Cairo on Tuesday. Two more bombs were found at the airport.

Security forces are on high alert for possible Islamist attacks a day after a court upheld the death sentence for 183 Muslim Brotherhood militants.

The accused were convicted in the deaths of 11 officers in Kerdasa in August 2013, a few weeks after the ouster of Muslim Brotherhood-backed Mohamed Morsi.

Since then, Egyptian authorities have arrested thousands of Brotherhood members, and sentenced hundreds to death. None has been carried so far.

Human rights activists have criticised the "dictatorial" methods of President's Abdelfattah al-Sisi, who replaced Morsi, but most of Egyptians seem to support the president because he is providing security to society, which is needed to put order into the economy.

Mr Morsi also faces a new espionage trial on 15 February. He too could be given the death penalty if found guilty.

Out of 183 people convicted yesterday, 34 were sentenced in absentia. The Grand Mufti ratified the verdict. Offenders may still appeal to change the verdict. Last month, the death sentences of 37 people were overturned on appeal.

For al-Sisi, the Brotherhood and its allies are the country's main security threat.

Meanwhile, Islamic State's Egypt wing claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated operations that killed at least 27 people last week.

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• brotherhoods
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