Egypt Slaps 16 Americans With Jail Terms

If Egypt had its way, the son of one of President Obama's Cabinet members would spend the next five years in prison. Sam LaHood, son of transportation chief Ray LaHood, was among 16 Americans convicted today in an Egyptian court, accused by the government there of trying to foment unrest in their roles with non-governmental organizations, reports Reuters. LaHood and 15 others are back in the US and were convicted in absentia. They all received five-year sentences.

The 16th, Robert Becker, stayed behind in solidarity with Egyptians caught up in last year's crackdown on NGOs, and he received a two-year sentence, reports the AP. Becker plans to appeal, and it's not clear whether he will remain free in the interim. In addition to the Americans, the court convicted 27 others of various nationalities. The Americans convicted belonged to both Republican and Democrat groups. "The government of President Mohammed Morsi basically accused them of trying to undermine that regime by encouraging unrest," writes Mark Memmott at NPR. (More Ray LaHood stories.)