- Title: EGYPT: Sinai gun attack aimed at destabilising Egypt - analyst.
- Date: 6th August 2012
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CAIRO RESIDENT, RAGHED ALI, SAYING: "The reason for what happened is that the assailants want us to have a falling out with Israel and the incident has been a cause of confusion in the area. For someone to enter the area, attack Egyptians, take their cars and continue on to the border with Israel, then it is assumed Egyptians are responsible. This is w
- Embargoed: 21st August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Egypt
- Country: Egypt
- Topics: Crime,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA6B50FIF80FMOTJ4661ZRL1OF4
- Story Text: An Egyptian analyst says the Sinai gun attack, in which up to 15 soldiers were killed, is designed to upset Egypt's new stability, following the election of Islamist moderate Mohamed Mursi to the presidency.
An Egyptian analyst suggested on Monday (August 6) that an attack that killed up to 15 Egyptian soldiers on the country's border with Israel was aimed at destabilising the country.
Gunmen, described by Egypt as having "jihadist elements", attacked a Sinai police station and seized an army tank on Sunday (August 5).
Israeli aircraft destroyed a vehicle used by the gunmen, as they tried to storm the fortified border. Eight of the gunmen were killed.
It was the deadliest attack in the region in at least two decades and the first major security emergency for Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, who summoned his military council.
Gamal Eltahawy, a professor from Minya University, believes the attackers were trying to shake the country's short-lived stability.
"There are several reasons for what has happened. The first being to stir the stability that occurred in Egypt especially after it completed a number of stages of rebuilding the country. Legislative, parliamentary elections were completed, even if parliament was dissolved after. Presidential elections were held, in which Mohamed Mursi was announced the winner along with the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party. And it has also completed the process of forming a cabinet of ministers. This attack, in a way, shook Egypt's political stability and was followed by a shake in the economic stability. When the political stability is affected, economic stability follows and thus results in a hindered development process. There are external forces responsible for this," he said.
His views found an echo on the streets of Cairo.
Commuter, Raghed Ali, said he thought the attack was aimed at stirring trouble between Egypt and Israel.
"The reason for what happened is that the assailants want us to have a falling out with Israel and the incident has been a cause of confusion in the area. For someone to enter the area, attack Egyptians, take their cars and continue on to the border with Israel, then it is assumed Egyptians are responsible. This is why it has caused confusion, but that's wrong, I have no doubt that neither Egyptians nor Israelis had anything to do with this," he said.
Israel Defence Minister, Ehud Barak said on Monday, he hoped the assault would serve as a 'wake up call' for Egypt, long accused by Israel of losing its grip in the desert peninsula. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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