Egyptian seaports and airports are on high alert following warnings of infiltration by foreign nationals fleeing Syria and Iraq, having joined and fought with extremist groups there such as Islamic State (IS), Jabhat al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham. Officials have become sufficiently concerned about these radicalized elements to order security forces to enhance precautionary procedures for regulating the entry of foreign nationals.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi gave the issue top priority at the recent Munich Security Conference. Addressing the session Feb. 16, Sisi asked, “Who brought foreign fighters to the Arab countries, and who supports them?” He called on the international community to step up efforts to reveal the identities of the extremists’ financial backers. Noting that foreigners had been found among extremists killed in counter-terrorism operations in Egypt, Sisi emphasized the importance of not interfering in other countries' affairs.
