Egyptian Islamic Jihad founder: Annihilate terror groups or they annihilate you
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Nabil Naeem, the founder and former leader of Egyptian Islamic Jihad, expresses concerns about the potential for a reconciliation between extremist groups and the state.
CAIRO — The Egyptian army's military campaigns continue to target the hideouts of terrorist groups in Sinai Peninsula that from time to time claim responsibility for the attacks carried out against the army and police. The latest such attack took place March 19, targeting a security checkpoint in the city of el-Arish, killing 18 members of the security forces. In an interview with Al-Monitor, Nabil Naeem, the founder of the Islamic Jihad organization in Egypt, said that terrorist groups can’t be confronted unless their funders and supporters are exposed. "The terrorists," he said, "used an 82 mm mortar shell in their attack on the security checkpoint in el-Arish city. This weapon is not [typically] in the possession of jihadi groups because it cannot [easily] be bought — proving that there are countries supporting these groups."
Responding to a call for reconciliation with these groups to end the bloodshed, as happened in the 1990s, Naeem declared that "these groups cannot be trusted. You either annihilate them or they annihilate you. There is no third choice."
Naeem called on the army “to impose more control and fend off these groups."
Below is the full transcript of the interview:
