As Egypt’s presidential race starts with a few slow notes, terrorist attacks persistently sound loud percussions in the background. Three explosions rocked the vicinity of Cairo University on April 2, killing two people, including a police brigadier general, and injuring five. Following the incident, the university's administration decided to allow police onto the campus while the government drafted new anti-terror legislation. If ratified by Adly Mansour, Egypt’s interim president, the new law would introduce tough punishments, including the death penalty, for anyone convicted of committing terrorist attacks or establishing or joining a “terrorist organization.” The law also increases the number of judicial districts dedicated to handling trials related to terrorism to ensure “speedy” trials. But can mere legislation, tougher punishments and tight security plans be sufficient for Egypt to see the light at — or even near — the end of the tunnel of terrorism?
A few weeks after the removal of Mohammed Morsi, then-Minister of Defense Abdel Fattah al-Sisi demanded that Egyptians give the army and police a popular “mandate” (through mass protests) to confront “potential” terrorism. Since then, thousands of Islamists have been detained, killed or injured in confrontations with the police, army or civilian supporters of Sisi. Terrorist attacks by Islamist militants have left hundreds of security forces dead or injured in just a few months. Many activists and critics blame the government and Sisi personally for the escalation of violence.
