Egypt has freed a leader of the militant group responsible for the assassination of Anwar Sadat, the former president, after nearly 22 years in jail.
Karam Zohdy, 51, of Al-Gamaa al-Islamiyya, or Islamic Group, was serving a life sentence for his role in the assassination on October 6, 1981.
Zohdy and the Islamic Group renounced violence, and he recently voiced regret for his role in Sadat's killing.
Habib el-Adly, the interior minister, said Zohdy had served his sentence, and had heart problems and diabetes.
Under Egyptian law, a life sentence normally means 25 years behind bars. The prison year, however, is calculated as nine months, meaning Zohdy was years overdue for a release.
Police said Zohdy was freed on Thursday and returned to Minya, his home town. His release comes days before the 22nd anniversary of Sadat's assassination and the 30th anniversary of Egypt's last war with Israel.
Zohdy is among those who ordered the killing of Sadat, who had blocked the setting up of an Islamic state and was the first Arab leader to sign a peace treaty with Israel, in 1979.
Egypt has been under emergency law since the assassination.-AP
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