The entire Egyptian cabinet suddenly resigned on Saturday, prompting President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to instruct Petroleum Minister Sherif Ismail to form a new government by next week, with the departing ministers remaining as caretakers until then. No official reason has been given for the mass resignation, although naturally, theories have been floated.
(Reuters) Egypt’s agriculture minister resigned on Monday and was arrested on suspicion of corruption shortly after leaving the cabinet building.
The Egyptian Religious Endowments Ministry suspended Sheikh Mahmoud Maghazi after he allegedly said, “Prayer is better than Facebook,” during a traditional Islamic prayer. The original line says, “Prayer is better than sleep.”
An Egyptian court sentenced three Al-Jazeera English journalists to three years in prison for broadcasting “false news,” igniting outrage by international human rights and free speech advocates.
Egypt’s President Abel Fattah al-Sisi has announced he will make his third visit to Russia on August 25, when he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to “boost strategic relations” and “enhance cooperation with Russia in various fields, particularly economically.”
Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi signed a tough new anti-terrorism law on Sunday, a package including special courts for terrorist offenses, stern penalties for those convicted, protections for military and police officers accused of using excessive force to suppress insurgencies, and even financial penalties for journalists who contradict official government accounts of terrorist attacks.
Selim Suleiman al-Haram, a leader of the ISIS-affiliated militant group known as Sinai Province, was killed in a shootout, according to the Egyptian government.
A former Egyptian army officer suspected of masterminding the assassination of a top Egyptian prosecutor has released a propaganda video calling for Islamists to declare holy war on President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, calling him a “new pharoah” who has overrun the mostly-Muslim country with “sorcerers” looking to change “our religion.”
On July 2, the Wall Street Journal carried an article by Shawki Allam, the Grand Mufti of Egypt, who claimed that “violent extremists” are distorting the true purpose of fatwas and thereby, the true meaning of Islam. He goes on to extoll the virtues of Muhammad’s many roles – calling him a divine inspiration, social reformer, military leader, statesman, and also a Mufti.
The July 1st attack in Egypt’s north Sinai has signaled a change in strategy from the previous attacks launched in the region, adopting a strategy used by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria forcused on taking and holding territory. Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, Egypt’s most active militant group in the Sinai, swore allegiance to ISIS in November 2014 becoming Sinai Province. The attempt to fly the ISIS flag in Sheikh Zuweid failed due to the Egyptian Armed Forces repelling the attack, killing over 250 terrorists with operations still continuing.
CAIRO, Egypt– Egypt experienced a wave of terrorist attacks last week with the assassination of prosecutor general Hisham Barakat in Cairo and the simultaneous attacks that killed 17 Egyptian soldiers in north Sinai. Egypt is on the forefront fighting the war against terrorism and the underlining message from the people here is that they are determined to defeat those who take innocent life and want to see justice done against the perpetrators of violence.
CAIRO, Egypt– The Egyptian military has killed over 241 militants since July, said Egyptian military spokesman Mohamed Samir in an official statement on Monday. The Egyptian military continued pounding terrorists in North Sinai, killing 29 on Sunday.
CAIRO, Egypt– Egyptian authorities have arrested 13 members of the Muslim Brotherhood on suspicion of planting bombs around the Suez Canal to disrupt shipping, security sources said on Monday. The security sources said the men formed a 13- member cell that included an employee of the Suez Canal Authority, according to the Jerusalem Post.
CAIRO, Egypt– Dressed in army fatigues with a tag name “President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi,” the Egyptian President visited North Sinai on Saturday, boosting Egyptian troops morale. It was a surprise and discreet visit by President Sisi, two days after Islamic State affiliate Sinai Province killed 17 Egyptian military members in simultaneous attacks at 5 military checkpoints in Northern Sinai.
ISIS “caliph” Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi told followers of his terror group that destroying Egypt’s national monuments, such as the pyramids and the sphinx, is a “religious duty” that must be carried out by those who worship Islam, as idolatry is strictly banned in the religion, according to reports.
Contents: Egypt’s military brings the Sinai ‘100 pct under control’ in 2nd day of fighting; Israeli general says that Hamas is supporting terrorist group in Sinai; ISIS attack on Hamas pushes Hamas and Egypt closer together; Possible panic in China’s stock markets
The Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) made advances in Egypt as it launched a wave of attacks in restive North Sinai province despite a government crackdown against jihadi elements in the country, various new agencies report.
Contents: Egypt in a ‘state of war’ in northern Sinai; Israel approves Egypt’s military buildup in Sinai; Kuwait in ‘state of war’ with ISIS, will require nationwide DNA testing
CAIRO (AP) — The latest news on the nine Muslim Brotherhood leaders killed in a Cairo apartment raid (all times local).
EL-ARISH, Egypt (AP) — Islamic militants on Wednesday unleashed a wave of simultaneous attacks, including suicide car bombings, on Egyptian army checkpoints in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula, killing at least 50 soldiers, security and military officials said.
An explosion has killed Egyptian Prosecutor General Hisham Barakat and injured at least seven more people on Monday morning in Cairo.
Egyptian authorities are targeting books written by Muslim Brotherhood members and their allies as they confiscate hundreds of books from mosques across the country, reports Gulf News, quoting religious sources.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi told a visiting Lebanese delegation this week that the Assad regime may soon tumble under the weight of a strengthening Sunni rebellion, a Lebanese paper has reported.
Egypt asked the U.S. ambassador in Cairo to account for the Obama administration’s allowing Muslim Brotherhood officials to visit Washington for a private conference this week sponsored by the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID).
In a show of total disapproval towards the United States’ relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood–an Islamist entity that has been designated as a terrorist group in many countries–Egypt has summoned the U.S. Ambassador to Cairo to demand answers from the White House over where the parties’ relationship stands.
Contents: Hamas and ISIS-linked group clash in the Gaza Strip; ISIS and Hamas turn on each other after Yarmouk invasion
First, we had FIFA officials busted on corruption charges. Now, Egypt is stepping up to do its part in the War on Soccer, with the alarmingly named Cairo Court for Urgent Matters designating hardcore “Ultras” fan clubs as terrorist organizations.
Protesting is a dicey business in Egypt, which has been through three governing regimes in four years. The current regime passed a strict law to control street protests in 2013, but last January it was violated by a demonstration that was eventually dispersed by police, resulting in the death of protester Shaimaa Sabbagh.
War veteran and former Gov. of Texas Rick Perry expounded on his executive experience as the Lone Star State’s longest-serving governor and laid out the ways in which he would combat the rise of radical Islam, in addition to providing his promise of unwavering, tangible support for our country’s esteemed veterans — if he decides to run for president.
Cairo (AFP) – An Egyptian court Wednesday jailed 69 Islamists for life for torching a church near Cairo in August 2013, as anger flared over a crackdown on supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi.
A group of Muslim supporters in Egypt have joined a project to raise money to build a new Coptic Christian church just north of Cairo.
Palestinian factions ‘unity’ talks in crisis, near collapse; ISIS and Yemen force yet another realignment of the Mideast
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters on Tuesday that the U.S. is “concerned” about an Egyptian court’s sentencing of former Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi to 20 years in prison.
Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Morsi, who was ousted as the president of Egypt in 2013, was sentenced to 20 years in maximum security prison for using force against protesters.
Student protesters who support ousted president Mohammed Morsi in Egypt, a Muslim Brotherhood leader, were arrested at Cairo University for clashing with administrative security.
WASHINGTON, DC — President Obama released U.S. military aid to Egypt that had been suspended since the Muslim Brotherhood’s Mohamed Morsi was ousted from Egypt’s presidency in 2013, the White House announced.
Christians in the Egyptian village of Al Our are looking to build a new church in honor of the Coptic Christians beheaded by ISIS in Libya, a mass-murder outrage captured in a viral video circulated by the Islamic State. 13 of the 21 Christians slaughtered in the video hailed from Al Our; they had gone to Libya in search of employment. A church in their hometown would seem like a fine way to remember them.
Top Iranian journalist defects, criticizes US nuclear negotiators; Arab League meeting ends with promise for joint Arab military force; Report: Iran nuclear negotiations may be deadlocked
Syria’s al-Assad regime suffers major military setback in Idlib; Arab League positions harden against Houthis and Iran
Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari visited Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday in an event that appears intended to strengthen ties between Baghdad and Damascus in light of their mutually shared threat of Islamic State (ISIS) invasion. Iraq’s desire to forge stronger ties with Assad flies in the face of American diplomatic efforts to isolate the dictator after his alleged use of chemical weapons on civilians.
