Country Reports on Terrorism 2012

effects of fanaticism, and ways to guard against fanatic thought. The MOJIA also undertook an
annual review of schools’ Islamic Studies curricula to evaluate interpretations of religious texts.
EGYPT
Overview: Egyptian security services faced an evolving political, legal, and security
environment in which they continued to combat terrorism and violent extremism. In June, Egypt
elected a President, replacing the military council that had ruled the country since February 2011.
In August, an attack on an Egyptian military installation near Rafah resulted in the deaths of 16
Egyptian soldiers and the hijacking of military vehicles, which were then used in an attempt to
attack targets in Israel. This attack brought the problem of lawlessness in the Sinai to the
forefront of President Morsy’s security agenda. While the National Security Sector, which
replaced the State Security Investigations Service in 2011, has struggled to fully understand and
effectively combat terrorist threats, it has had some successes, such as the October raid and arrest
of al-Qa’ida (AQ) aspirants in Cairo’s Nasr City neighborhood. In addition, following the
September 11 breach of the U.S. Embassy compound in Cairo, the Ministry of Interior ordered
improvements to security measures around the Embassy.
Egypt's Northern Sinai region remained a transit route for smuggling arms and explosives into
Gaza, as well as a base and transit point for Palestinian violent extremists. The smuggling of
humans, weapons, cash, and other contraband through the Sinai into Israel and Gaza supported
criminal networks with possible ties to terrorist groups in the region, although media accounts of
Egyptian action to collapse smuggling tunnels increased later in the year. The smuggling of
weapons from Libya to and through Egypt has increased since the overthrow of the Qadhafi
regime. The security forces interdicted some of these arms. While it remained opposed to violent
extremism, the Egyptian government largely focused its efforts on protecting official
installations, restoring basic security, and ensuring a peaceful political transition.
2012 Terrorist Incidents: Nearly all of the reported terrorist incidents involved attacks on
security forces – Egyptian, Israeli, or international – guarding or monitoring the Sinai, its state
infrastructure, and its border with Gaza and Israel. These incidents included:
On April 5, a rocket attack was fired from Sinai on Eilat, Israel.
On June 16, two rockets were fired from Sinai on Israel.
On June 18, a cross-border improvised explosive device attack targeted workers
constructing the Israeli security fence along the Gaza-Sinai border. The Mujahidin Shura
Council claimed responsibility.
On July 22, there was a cross-border shooting at a bus of Israeli soldiers.
On August 5, an attack near Rafah resulted in the death of 16 Egyptian soldiers.
Attackers hijacked two Egyptian military vehicles and unsuccessfully attempted to cross
the border and assault the Israeli side of the Kerem Shalom border crossing.
On August 15, Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (Partisans of the Holy Sanctuary) claimed
responsibility for two rockets fired at Eilat, Israel.
On September 21, an attack on an Israeli checkpoint resulted in the death of one Israeli
Defense Force soldier; Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis claimed responsibility.
On November 3, suspected violent Islamist extremists killed three Egyptian policemen in
El-Arish in the northern Sinai.
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