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Jihad Group |
al-Jihad, Islamic Jihad, New Jihad Group, Vanguards of Conquest, Tala’i’ al Fath
| The Jihad movement in Egypt is an Islamic group active since the late
1970s. The movement appears to be divided into two factions: one led by
Ayman al-Zawahiri—currently in Afghanistan—and the Vanguards of Conquest (Talaa'
al-Fateh) led by Ahmad Husayn Agiza. Al-Zawahiri is a key leader in
terrorist financier Osama Bin Ladin's new World Islamic Front. Like al-Gama'at
al-Islamiyya, the Jihad factions regard Sheikh Umar Abd-al Rahman,
imprisoned in the United States, as their spiritual leader.
Abbud al-Zumar, leader of the original Jihad, is imprisoned in Egypt and recently joined Sheikh al-Rahman, in a call for a "peaceful front." The goal of all Jihad factions is to overthrow the government of President Hosni Mubarak and replace it with an Islamic state. They have become increasingly vocal in calling for an end to Western influence in Muslim countries, and have shown a willingness to target Western—particularly American—interests. The Egyptian Jihad group operates in small underground cells and recruites members aged 15-30. They have claimed responsibility for numerous terrorist attacks against Egyptian government officials and institutions, Christian leaders and institutions, and Israeli and Western targets on Egyptian soil. Jihad recruits are trained in remote bases in Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan and elsewhere. The Jihad groups in Egypt receive funds for their activities from various countries, including Iran, Sudan, and militant Islamic groups in Afghanistan, including Osama bin Ladin. In addition they canvass local notables and institutions for donations, and collaborate with the Egyptian underworld in crime, especially against the Coptic Christian community, and may obtain some funding through various Islamic nongovernmental organizations. |
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The Jihad group specializes in armed attacks against high-level Egyptian
Government officials. The original Jihad was responsible for the assassination
in 1981 of President Anwar Sadat. Unlike al-Gama'at al-Islamiyya, which mainly
targets mid- and lower-level security personnel, Coptic Christians, and Western
tourists, al-Jihad appears to concentrate primarily on high-level, high-profile
Egyptian Government officials, including cabinet ministers. Claimed
responsibility for the attempted assassinations of Interior Minister Hassan
Al-Alfi in August 1993 and Prime Minister Atef Sedky in November 1993.
In view of the grave threat posed by the Jihad factions to the Egyptian regime, and due to the large number of terrorist attacks for which they were responsible, the Egyptian security forces have given top priority to their war on the organization. During the tenure of former Egyptian Minister of Interior General Zaki Badr, some 8,000 Jihad activists were imprisoned. However, the organization's infrastructure was not destroyed, and when General Abd al-Halim Moussa took office as Interior Minister, the Jihad groups actually stepped up their activities. In response, General Moussa declared in October 1990 that: "The security forces have committed themselves to the complete elimination of the Jihad organization in Egypt, as well as that of other organizations acting to undermine governmental stability."
In June 1992, after activists of the Islamic Jihad in Egypt murdered Faraj Fodah, an author who had openly supported Israeli-Egyptian peace, a "hit list" was revealed that had been prepared by organization activists and which included the names of tens of Egyptians to be killed by the Islamic Jihad, including the Interior Minister, General Moussa; the journalist Anis Mansour; and others.
Since 1993 the group has not conducted an attack inside Egypt. However there
have been repeated threats to retaliate against the United States, for its
incarceration of Sheikh Umar Abd al-Rahman and, more recently, for the arrests
of its members in Albania, Azerbaijan, and the United Kingdom.
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