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Global Jihad in Sinai: an Extension of the Gaza Strip?
GLOBAL JIHAD IN SINAI: AN EXTENSION OF THE GAZA STRIP? Rob Bongers (Research Assistant, ICT) March 2014 ABSTRACT The ongoing Islamist insurgency that has taken root in the Sinai since the January 25 revolution has gone from bad to worse. Deteriorating following the Muslim Brotherhood’s ouster, the conflict is extraordinarily complex as it conflates the continued political turmoil in Egypt, the longstanding marginalization of Sinai Bedouins, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Libya’s lawlessness, internal friction in Gaza, transnational criminal networks, and the growing presence of global jihad- inspired fighters. Due to the security vacuum, Sinai has quickly become yet another fertile breeding ground for militant Islamists, and moreover, a base from which they can target both Israel and Egypt rather unchallenged. Through the lens of the concept of terrorist organizations’ ‘‘glocalization,’’ this paper seeks to analyze this relationship by examining the various interwoven local, regional and global features facilitating Gazan actors’ incentives to export subversion and terrorism to Sinai, the extent to which these networks have shaped the insurgency, and the security challenges they pose. It concludes that, even though some other non-local battle-hardened jihadists have likely influenced the rise of (sophisticated) attacks too, Gazan Salafi-jihadists have played a major role in the terrorist activity across the Philadelphi Corridor by means of exploitation of Sinai’s breakdown of security. * The views expressed in this publication are -
News Coverage Prepared For: the European Union Delegation to Egypt
News Coverage prepared for: The European Union delegation to Egypt . Disclaimer: “This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of authors of articles and under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of IPSOS or the European Union.” 1 . Thematic Headlines Domestic Scene Shafiq and Morsi Trade Barbs Political Parties Still Failing on Constituent Assembly Criteria Egyptian Expatriates Start Voting in Runoff Tahrir Protests Urge Unity against Regime Leftovers 11 Political Powers Call for “Revolutionary Trials” of Regime Remnants Court to Rule in Political Isolation Law within Days Protesters Rescue Girl from Rape in Tahrir Square Beheira March Demands Sacking Prosecutor General Protesters in Port Said Hurl Stones on Security Forces MB Refuses Presidential Council Idea Morsi Campaign Denies American Nationality Claims Shafiq: I Represent the Civil Country Tahrir Square against MB MB Sabotages Shafiq’s Premises during Demonstrations Travel Ban Still Imposed on Adli’s Six Aides Clinton is Ready to “Help” Egypt The Revolution Victims’ Families Consider Resorting to the International Court The Revolution Justice SCAF Discusses the Constituent Assembly with the Advisory Council Shafiq Approves the “Document of the Pledge” In the Aftermath of the Trial Al-Baradei Approves a Presidential Council Day 19 of the Revolution Expatriate Votes The Muslim Brotherhood Rejects the Presidential Council Al-Nour Party’s -
Fault Lines: Sinai Peninsula 20 OCT 2017 the Sinai Peninsula Is a Complicated Operational Environment (OE)
Fault Lines: Sinai Peninsula 20 OCT 2017 The Sinai Peninsula is a complicated operational environment (OE). At present, there are a number of interconnected conditions creating instability and fostering a favorable environment for the growth of Islamic extremist groups. Egypt is battling this situation with large-scale security operations, yet militant activity is not diminishing. The Egyptian government, in coordination with the Israeli government, is placing renewed interest on countering insurgent actors in the region and establishing a lasting security. Despite its best effort, Egypt has been largely unsuccessful. A variety of factors have contributed to the continued rise of the insurgents. We submit there are four key fault lines contributing to instability. These fault lines are neither mutually exclusive nor are they isolated to the Sinai. In fact, they are inexorably intertwined, in ways between Egypt, Israel, and the Sinai Peninsula. Issues related to faults create stability complications, legitimacy concerns, and disidentification problems that can be easily exploited by interested actors. It is essential to understand the conditions creating the faults, the escalation that results from them operating at the same time, and the potential effects for continued insecurity and ultimately instability in the region. FAULT LINES Egypt-Israel Relations - Enduring geopolitical tension between Egypt and Israel, and complex coordination needs between are “exploitable dissimilar and traditionally untrusting cultures, has potential for explosive effects on regional stability. sources of Political Instability - Continued political instability, generated from leadership turmoil, mounting security concerns, and insufficient efforts for economic development may lead to an exponentially dire security situation and direct and violent instability in the challenges to the government. -
Global Extremism Monitor
Global Extremism Monitor Violent Islamist Extremism in 2017 WITH A FOREWORD BY TONY BLAIR SEPTEMBER 2018 1 2 Contents Foreword 7 Executive Summary 9 Key Findings About the Global Extremism Monitor The Way Forward Introduction 13 A Unifying Ideology Global Extremism Today The Long War Against Extremism A Plethora of Insurgencies Before 9/11 A Proliferation of Terrorism Since 9/11 The Scale of the Problem The Ten Deadliest Countries 23 Syria Iraq Afghanistan Somalia Nigeria Yemen Egypt Pakistan Libya Mali Civilians as Intended Targets 45 Extremist Groups and the Public Space Prominent Victims Breakdown of Public Targets Suicide Bombings 59 Use of Suicide Attacks by Group Female Suicide Bombers Executions 71 Deadliest Groups Accusations Appendices 83 Methodology Glossary About Us Notes 3 Countries Affected by Violent Islamist Extremism, 2017 4 5 6 Foreword Tony Blair One of the core objectives of the Institute is the promotion of co-existence across the boundaries of religious faith and the combating of extremism based on an abuse of faith. Part of this work is research into the phenomenon of extremism derived particularly from the abuse of Islam. This publication is the most comprehensive analysis of such extremism to date and utilises data on terrorism in a new way to show: 1. Violent extremism connected with the perversion of Islam today is global, affecting over 60 countries. 2. Now more than 120 different groups worldwide are actively engaged in this violence. 3. These groups are united by an ideology that shares certain traits and beliefs. 4. The ideology and the violence associated with it have been growing over a period of decades stretching back to the 1980s or further, closely correlated with the development of the Muslim Brotherhood into a global movement, the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and—in the same year—the storming by extremist insurgents of Islam’s holy city of Mecca. -
Bibliography: Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) [Part 5]
PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 13, Issue 3 Resources Bibliography: Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) [Part 5] Compiled and selected by Judith Tinnes [Bibliographic Series of Perspectives on Terrorism – BSPT-JT-2019-4] Abstract This bibliography contains journal articles, book chapters, books, edited volumes, theses, grey literature, bibliogra- phies and other resources on the Islamic State (IS / ISIS / ISIL / Daesh) and its predecessor organizations. To keep up with the rapidly changing political events, the most recent publications have been prioritized during the selec- tion process. The literature has been retrieved by manually browsing through more than 200 core and periphery sources in the field of Terrorism Studies. Additionally, full-text and reference retrieval systems have been employed to broaden the search. Keywords: bibliography, resources, literature, Islamic State; IS; ISIS; ISIL; Daesh; Al-Qaeda in Iraq; AQI NB: All websites were last visited on 18.05.2019. This subject bibliography is conceptualised as a multi-part series (for earlier bibliog- raphies, see: Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3 , and Part 4). To avoid duplication, this compilation only includes literature not contained in the previous parts. However, meta-resources, such as bibliographies, were also included in the sequels. – See also Note for the Reader at the end of this literature list. Bibliographies and other Resources Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN) (2014, November-): Thematic Dossier XV: Daesh in Afghanistan. URL: https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/publication/aan-thematic-dossier/thematic-dossier-xv-daesh-in-af- ghanistan Al-Khalidi, Ashraf; Renahan, Thomas (Eds.) (2015, May-): Daesh Daily: An Update On ISIS Activities. URL: http://www.daeshdaily.com Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (2010-): [Homepage]. -
Egypt Imprisons Nonviolent Student Activist for Terrorism
Snapshot – The Wrong Target: Egypt Imprisons Nonviolent Student Activist For Terrorism SUMMARY On October 15, Andrew Nasif, an Egyptian university student and leftist opposition party member, became the first Coptic Christian to be sent to prison under the country’s draconian anti-terrorism law. The court ruled that Andrew promoted terrorist acts through Facebook posts, flyers, and petitions calling for political and economic rights. Andrew’s lawyer describes his conviction as “truly frivolous” and “literally completely empty” of any evidence showing that he was involved in calling for violence. His case is the latest example of how the Egyptian authorities punish peaceful dissent as “terrorism,” while the problem of actual violent militancy in Egypt grows worse. Genuine security in Egypt will come not through blanket repression, but through the rule of law, rights, justice, and strong and accountable institutions. To read this snapshot as a PDF, click here. INTRODUCTION On October 15, the Zagazig Criminal Court in al-Sharqia Governorate in Egypt’s Delta region sentenced Andrew Nasif Noshi Saleeb to five years in prison for violating Law 94 of 2015, the anti- terrorism law.[1] The judge ruled that 23-year-old Andrew, a business student at Zagazig University, had promoted terrorism through pro-democracy pamphlets, posts on Facebook, and a petition opposing President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s economic policies. Andrew’s conviction is only the latest example of how the Egyptian authorities are using terrorism as a pretext to repress citizens who have nothing to do with the country’s violent Islamist extremist threat, but who speak out against rising authoritarianism, injustice, and economic hardship. -
Revelatory Elections – a State of Divide and Rule by Maged Atef
MENU Policy Analysis / Fikra Forum Revelatory Elections – A State of Divide and Rule by Maged Atef Feb 28, 2018 Also available in Arabic ABOUT THE AUTHORS Maged Atef Maged Atef is a freelance journalist based in Egypt. He has contributed to a number of publications, including Buzzfeed, Foreign Affairs, and the Daily Beast. Brief Analysis he Egyptian Commission for Presidential Elections has set March 26 for voting in Egypt (with March 16 as the T start date for Egyptians abroad to vote). These elections come amid a kind of fog on the political stage. The outcome is predetermined, which is to favor President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, who has no true competitor in the race. Indeed, Sisi announced the timeframe for the elections while extending the State of Emergency for another three months. This enables Sisi's security apparatus to continue to censor the press, ban organizations, eavesdrop on citizens, and restrict their freedoms under the law. The role of the press—both official and unofficial—is to support the president and highlight his achievements in the past four years. Although these elections may be a sham, they do shed light on all sides of the equation, including the president, the opposition, and the army. The president's moves with regard to these elections have alternated between two models. The first is the "Putin" model: the dominant strongman who pays no heed to what is said about him abroad. The second is the "Mubarak" model: where one keeps the appearance of a fictitious democracy for the Western press. The president's alternation between these two models became obvious in the pre-electoral period. -
The Riddle of the Sphinx: Why President Sisi Fears the Election
No. 8, February 2018 FUTURE NOTES THE RIDDLE OF THE SPHINX: WHY PRESIDENT SISI FEARS THE ELECTION Robert Springborg This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement No 693244 Middle East and North Africa Regional Architecture: Mapping Geopolitical Shifts, regional Order and Domestic Transformations FUTURE NOTES No. 8, February 2018 THE RIDDLE OF THE SPHINX: WHY PRESIDENT SISI FEARS THE ELECTION Robert Springborg1 Egypt’s President Sisi has been described as Sphinx-like, carefully hiding his thoughts and intentions behind a stoical exterior. His utterances tend to be moralistic, more like an austere father lecturing, even threatening errant children, than a politician engaging in political debate and laying out programmes.2 When he does address the latter it typically takes the form of eulogizing specific projects with which he has associated himself and charged the military with executing. In the lead up to the presidential election of late March, the general riddle of this Sphinx-like President has taken on more specific form. On the one hand, the drumbeat of reports of economic, counter-terrorism and foreign policy successes emanating from the presidency and other government officials has dramatically increased. A steady stream of announcements is informing Egyptians that the economy is taking off, that terrorists are being subdued, and that Egypt is playing an ever-greater role regionally, even globally. On the other hand, the behaviour of the President-Sphinx increasingly reflects that of a leader who feels profoundly threatened by political forces, including those closest to him. -
Prohibited List (Updated List October 25, 2016) Mohamed Hosny Elsayed
Prohibited List (Updated List October 25, 2016) Mohamed Hosny Elsayed Mubarak Suzan Saleh Thabet (wife of Mohamed Hosny Elsayed Mubarak) Alaa Mohamed Hosny Elsayed Mubarak Omar Alaa Mohamed Hosny Elsayed Mubarak (minor) Haydi Mohamed Magdi Hussen Rasekh (Wife of Alaa Mohamed Hosny Elsayed Mubarak) Gamal Mohamed Hosny Elsayed Mubarak Farida Gamal Mohamed Hosny Elsayed Mubarak (minor) Khadiga Mahmoud Elgamal (wife of Gamal Mohamed Hosny Elsayed Mubarak) Anoshk Caroline Rowd Serabel (wife of Habib Ibrahim Habib Eladly) Ahmed Abdel Aziz Ezz Ahmed Ahmed Abdel Aziz Ezz (minor) Afaf Ahmed Abdel Aziz Ezz Malak Ahmed Abdel Aziz Ezz Abla Mohamed Fawzy Ali Ahmed Salama (wife of Ahmed Abdel Aziz Ezz) Khadiga Ahmed Ahmed Kamel Yassin (wife of Ahmed Abdel Aziz Ezz) Shahinez Abdel Aziz Abdel wahab ELNaggar (wife of Ahmed Abdel Aziz Ezz) Rashid Mohamed Rashid Rashed Hussein Alia Rashid Mohamed Rashid Rashed Hussein Salma Rashid Mohamed Rashid Rashed Hussein Rawya Rashid Mohamed Rashid Rashed Hussein Hanya Mahmoud Abdelrahman Fahmy (wife of Rashid Mohamed Rashid Rashed Hussein) Mohamed Zoheir Mohamed Waheed Mohamed Zoheir Garanah Habiba Mohamed Zoheir Mohamed Waheed Mohamed Zoheir Garanah (minor) Adham Mohamed Zoheir Mohamed Waheed Mohamed Zoheir Garanah (minor) Zoher Mohamed Zoheir Mohamed Waheed Mohamed Zoheir Garanah (minor) Amir Mohamed Zoheir Mohamed Waheed Mohamed Zoheir Garanah (minor) Jaylan Shawkat Hosni Galal ElDin (wife of Mohamed Zoheir Mohamed Waheed Mohamed Zoheir Garanah) Mohamed Ahdy Abbas Fadly Mohamed Mohamed -
Commentaries
Commentaries Draining the Swamp? Egypt’s Intractable Challenge in Containing the Sinai Insurgency Saud al-Sarhan King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, Riyadh. Sebastian Maier Middle East Director, GMTL Political Risk, London. During Friday prayers on November 24, 2017, militants staged a coordinated attack on the al-Rawda mosque in the town of Bir al-Abed, the home of one of the largest Sufi orders in the North Sinai governorate. With an appallingly high confirmed 305 killed and more than 100 injured. This despicable act of barbarity marks, by all appearances, the deadliest terrorist atrocity to ever occur on Egyptian soil in modern times. This tragic event is a chilling reminder that perpetrators manage to blend conventional suicide attacks with increasingly complex tactics. After all, the recent attack is said to have involved more than three dozen assailants acting in a coordinated manner. One of the assailants blew himself up in the mosque, while others fired indiscriminately on the fleeing worshippers, all the while surveilling and blocking the adjacent streets and reportedly targeting ambulances that rushed to the scene. The Sinai peninsula, and, in particular, the affected land strip in the vicinity of the northern coastal town of El-Arish, has been the staging ground for a variety of spectacular militant attacks in recent years. In 2015, a suicide bombing and subsequent shooting shattered the Swiss Inn Resort in Arish, while in October 2014 and March 2016 local security checkpoints were targeted, killing dozens of security personnel from both the army and the police. In all instances, the local ISIS offshoot, Wilayat Sinai, has claimed responsibility, including in 2015 when it brought down Russian Metrojet flight 9268 from the resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, ultimately killing all 224 passengers and crew on board. -
Download the Full Report
HUMAN RIGHTS “Look for Another Homeland” Forced Evictions in Egypt’s Rafah WATCH “Look for Another Homeland” Forced Evictions in Egypt’s Rafah Copyright © 2015 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 978-1-62313-2767 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch defends the rights of people worldwide. We scrupulously investigate abuses, expose the facts widely, and pressure those with power to respect rights and secure justice. Human Rights Watch is an independent, international organization that works as part of a vibrant movement to uphold human dignity and advance the cause of human rights for all. Human Rights Watch is an international organization with staff in more than 40 countries, and offices in Amsterdam, Beirut, Berlin, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Goma, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Nairobi, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Tunis, Washington DC, and Zurich. For more information, please visit our website: http://www.hrw.org SEPTEMBER 2015 ISBN: 978-1-62313-2767 “Look for Another Homeland” Forced Evictions in Egypt’s Rafah Summary ........................................................................................................................... 1 Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 17 To the Egyptian Government ................................................................................................... 17 To the United States: ............................................................................................................. -
Terrorist Attack in the Sinai Peninsula
INSIGHTi Egypt: Terrorist Attack in the Sinai Peninsula ,name redacted, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs November 27, 2017 Background Terrorists based in the Sinai Peninsula have been waging an insurgency against the Egyptian government for more than six years. While the terrorist landscape in Egypt is evolving and encompasses several groups, Sinai Province (SP) is known as the most lethal. Since its affiliation with the Islamic State in 2014, SP has attacked the Egyptian military continually, targeted Coptic Christian individuals and places of worship, and occasionally fired rockets into Israel. In October 2015, SP targeted Russian tourists departing the Sinai by allegedly planting a bomb aboard Metrojet Flight 9268, which exploded mid-air, killing all 224 passengers and crew aboard. For U.S. policymakers, including Congress, continued terrorist attacks in the Sinai Peninsula raise concerns over Egypt’s stability, the security of neighboring Israel, the safety of U.S. military personnel serving as peacekeepers in the Multinational Force and Observers, and the growing capabilities of terrorist groups based in Egypt. The November 24, 2017, Attack On November 24, approximately 25-30 gunmen launched a coordinated attack against the Al Rawdah mosque in the town of Bir al Abed in northern Sinai, killing at least 305 people in the deadliest terrorist attack in Egypt’s modern history. According to Egyptian authorities, the terrorists drove up to the mosque in five vehicles carrying flags of the Islamic State before they detonated bombs inside the mosque and shot worshippers both inside and outside. According to the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, the November 24 attack “brings the total attacks in 2017 to over 338, with at least 322 and 401 security forces and civilians killed in attacks.” Congressional Research Service 7-...