Egypt Adds ‘al-Gamaa al-Islamiya’ to Terror List

Top official of al-Gamaa al-Islamiya Tarek al-Zumar (Asharq A-Awsat)
Top official of al-Gamaa al-Islamiya Tarek al-Zumar (Asharq A-Awsat)
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Egypt Adds ‘al-Gamaa al-Islamiya’ to Terror List

Top official of al-Gamaa al-Islamiya Tarek al-Zumar (Asharq A-Awsat)
Top official of al-Gamaa al-Islamiya Tarek al-Zumar (Asharq A-Awsat)

The Cairo Criminal Court has added Islamist group al-Gamaa al-Islamiya as well as 164 of its leaders and members to a list of terrorist entities, in a decision that could expedite the dissolution of “Building and Development” party, the group’s political arm.

Gamaa is the most prominent ally of the Muslim Brotherhood, which authorities classify as "terrorist" since the overthrow of former president Mohamed Morsi.

The court ruling also includes putting Tarek al-Zumar, Mohammed Shawki al-Islambouli, both fugitives in Turkey, Assem Abdelmajid, who is in Qatar, and others on the terrorist list for five years.

The Official gazette “Waqae Masriyya” reported in its Sunday issue that that the decision was announced by the Criminal Court, based on the investigations and reports of State Security Prosecutor's Office. It identified al-Gamaa al-Islamiya as a “terrorist entity” established contrary to the provisions of the law with the goal of forcibly changing the regime.

The newspaper also indicated that the group advocates disruption of the provisions of the Constitution and laws, the paralysis of state institutions and public authorities, and violates personal and public freedoms of citizens.

Article 237-1 of the Constitution stipulates that the state is obliged to counter terrorism in all its forms and its sources of funding as a threat to the homeland and citizens, while guaranteeing rights and freedoms.

The court based its decision on the findings of the Supreme State Security Prosecutor's Office in September, as well as that of the national security sector.

Investigations revealed that following the events of January 25, 2011, many leaders and members of Gamaa abandoned their previous initiative to end violence, and declared their adherence to the organization’s ideology calling for the atonement of the ruler for not applying the Sharia law, and establishing an Islamic state.

The gazette noted that some members of the group are linked to al-Qaeda while some of their top members joined the so-called National Coalition to Support Legitimacy of Muslim Brotherhood in Turkey, most notably Assem Abdelmajid, Tarek al-Zumar, Mohammed al-Islambouli, Assem Diab and Khaled al-Sharif.

The Coalition was established in 2013 after Morsi was ousted.

The court said that the defendants held organizational meetings and agreed to revive al-Gamaa al-Islamiya by providing financial support to members to purchase weapons and ammunition. 

They also aim to use social media to spread false and fake news wanting to create strife and rift between the people and the government.

According to the Law on organizing terrorist entities and terrorists, the court’s decision will include other measures against the defendants, such as freezing their assets, listing them on a travel ban, revoking passports and preventing the issuance of new passports.

In a few months, the Political Affairs Department of the Supreme Administrative Court will appeal the parliamentary Party Affairs Committee's request to dissolve the “Building and Development” party and liquidate its funds on charges of financing and supporting terrorism and extremism.

The Party usually emphasizes its adherence to "peaceful opposition and comprehensive community reconciliation."

Political parties affiliated with religious groups, including al-Gamaa al-Islamiya, were founded after the January 25 revolution.



Lebanon PM Says Hopes for Ceasefire With Israel in 'Coming Hours or Days'

This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on October 11, 2024. (Photo by Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on October 11, 2024. (Photo by Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)
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Lebanon PM Says Hopes for Ceasefire With Israel in 'Coming Hours or Days'

This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on October 11, 2024. (Photo by Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)
This handout picture provided by the Lebanese Prime Minister's press office shows Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati delivering a statement to the press in Beirut on October 11, 2024. (Photo by Lebanese Prime Minister's Press Office / AFP)

Lebanon's prime minister said US envoy Amos Hochstein had signaled during a phone call Wednesday that a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war was possible before US elections are held on November 5.
"The call today with Hochstein suggested to me that perhaps we could reach a ceasefire in the coming days, before the fifth" of November, Najib Mikati said in a televised interview with Lebanese broadcaster Al-Jadeed.
Hochstein was heading to Israel on Wednesday to discuss conditions for a ceasefire with Hezbollah, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
Hezbollah's new leader Naim Qassem on Wednesday said the group would agree to a ceasefire with Israel under acceptable terms, but added that a viable deal has yet to be presented, reported AFP.
"We are doing our best... to have a ceasefire within the coming hours or days," Mikati told Al-Jadeed, adding that he was "cautiously optimistic".
Mikati said Hezbollah is no longer linking a ceasefire in Lebanon to a truce in Gaza, but criticized the group over its "late" reversal.
Previously, Hezbollah had repeatedly declared it would stop its attacks on Israel only if a ceasefire was reached in Gaza.
However, Qassem on Wednesday said the group would accept a ceasefire under conditions deemed "appropriate and suitable", without any mention of the Palestinian territory.
Mikati said a ceasefire would be linked to the implementation of the United Nations resolution that ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Security Council Resolution 1701 states that only the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers should be deployed in southern Lebanon, while demanding the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory.
"The Lebanese army is ready to strengthen its presence in southern Lebanon" and ensure that the only weapons and military infrastructure in the area are those controlled by the state, Mikati said.
He also said he would continue to try to shield Lebanon's only airport from attacks by Israel.
"I can guarantee that we will not give anyone an excuse to undermine our security or our air traffic," Mikati said.
Aid deliveries from Iran, Iraq and Algeria can "come by sea", he said, in order not to give Israel a pretext to launch strikes.
Mikati also said it was too dangerous to try to reopen Lebanon's main land border with Syria, which was put out of service by an Israeli strike this month.
"We sent a bulldozer to fill the crater at the crossing and it was bombed," Mikati said.
"We will not expose anyone to danger before we have full guarantees."