A Cairo court has sentenced a man with dual Egyptian-Canadian citizenship to 15 years in jail for spying.

Mohammed al-Attar was convicted of being an agent for the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.

The 31-year-old had confessed to the charge, but later said the admission had been extracted under torture by Egypt's intelligence services.

Three Israeli defendants who were being tried in absentia on related charges were also convicted.

Like Attar, the trio were handed 15 year sentences and a fine of 10,000 Egyptian pounds ($1,700; £850) by Judge Sayyed al-Gohary of Cairo's State Security Emergency Court.

A former student at Cairo's al-Azhar university, 31-year-old Attar had been accused of contacting Israeli agents in Turkey and spying on expatriate Arabs there and in Canada.

Homosexuality claim

A transcript of his confession, which was seen by a Canadian newspaper, said he had recruited Homosexual or impoverished Arabs in Canada for Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence branch.

Attar denied being homosexual, although it was cited as a reason for an application he made for refugee status with the United Nations.

Speaking to reporters during one of his court appearances Attar had insisted that he was innocent and appealed to the Canadian government for help and to him with provide a lawyer.

Officials in Israel said they authorities had only learned about the case from the media.

Human rights groups say torture, including sexual abuse, is routinely used by the Egyptian security services during interrogation of prisoners.

The government denies systematic abuse, but has investigated a number of high profile torture cases.

Photo caption

Mohammed al-Attar