Egypt and Al Qaeda in Sinai

By Micah Halpern
I've Been Thinking:

The Washington Times was the first media outlet to report that the terrorists who struck Israel in the area around Eilat were members of an al Qaeda terrorist unit. The unit was based in Sinai.

For some time now there have been intelligence reports that al Qaeda was organizing cells in the Egyptian Sinai and training there. These groups and individuals also trained in other parts of the world especially Iran, Pakistan and Syria.

In general, the activities of these terrorist units were local and they seldom crossed the border. There are, however, always exceptions and the barrage of rockets that hit Aqaba last year were also said to have been shot by al Qaeda cells in the Egyptian Sinai.

The intel and the evidence seem to point in one direction. If it really is al Qaeda behind these attacks, the rules of the game have shifted and as such, the rules of engagement will shift, as well.

Egypt - even the new Egypt, does not want al Qaeda perpetrating attacks from their soil. Not locally and not against Israel.

Micah@MicahHalpern.com

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