What's behind uptick of attacks in Cairo?
A spate of terror attacks in Egypt could have to do with boosting the morale of Muslim Brotherhood supporters in addition to the upcoming verdicts and sentencing involving former President Mohammed Morsi and other Brotherhood figures.
CAIRO — While Egypt’s northern Sinai region has been associated with terrorism in recent years, there are concerns the violence could be spreading to Cairo. The Cairo governorate — which includes Egypt’s capital and its suburbs, and is highly populated — has witnessed five terrorist attacks in the span of less than three months, from Aug. 6 until Nov. 4.
The so-called Hasm movement claimed responsibility Aug. 6 for the failed assassination attempt on former Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa. On Sept. 30, the movement also claimed another failed assassination attempt on Assistant Attorney General Zakaria Abdul Aziz, who was targeted with an improvised explosive device (IED).
In the third such incident, Brig. Gen. Adel Ragaie was gunned down in front of his house Oct. 22 in a Cairo suburb in an attack claimed by a group called Lewaa al-Thawra (Revolution Brigade).
On Oct. 28, there was a terrorist attack against a security patrol on the Suez bridge street. On Nov. 4, Judge Ahmad Abu al-Fotouh, one of the judges in the trials against ousted President Mohammed Morsi, survived an assassination attempt with IEDs.
