Egyptian Islamic Jihad

The Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), also called the Islamic Jihad and the Jihad Group, is an Egyptian Islamic group active since the late 1970s with origins in the Muslim Brotherhood. It suffered setbacks as a result of numerous arrests of operatives worldwide, most recently in Lebanon and Yemen. The organization's primary goals are to overthrow the Egyptian Government and replace it with an Islamic state and to attack United States and Israeli interests in Egypt and abroad. There are rumors that the IJO is nothing but a cover group for the Irainian Pasadran.

Activities

The organization specializes in armed attacks against high-level Egyptian Government personnel, including cabinet ministers, and car-bombings against official US and Egyptian facilities. The original Jihad was responsible for the attempted assassinations of Interior Minister Hassan al-Alfi in August 1993 and Prime Minister Atef Sedky in November 1993. Egyptian Jihad and rival armed group launched a wave of violence against Egypt's secular government in 1992, a campaign they only abandoned at the end of the decade. Nearly 1300 people died in the unrest, including policemen, and government officials. It is responsible for the Egyptian Embassy bombing in Islamabad, Pakistan in 1995; in 1998, a planned attack against the US Embassy in Albania was thwarted.

Leadership

Al-Sharif passed the Jihad leadership to Ayman al-Zawahri amid dissent within the movement in the mid 1980's. The al-Zawahri faction subsequently formed an alliance with Al-Qaeda leading over time to the effective merger of the two groups operations inside Afghanistan.

Although al-Zawahri is frequently referred to as a 'lieutenant' or 'second in command' of Al Qaeda this description is misleading as it implies a hierarchical relationship. The modern Al Qaeda organization is the combination of Bin Laden's financial resources with al-Zawahri's ideological and operational leadership. Despite the effective merger of al-Zawahri and Bin Laden's groups in the Aghanistan area of operations there is evidence that suggests that at least part of the Islamic Jihad group continuing to operate in Egypt remains independent of Bin Laden's organization and reports to al-Zawahri personally.

Location/Area of Operation

The Egyptian Islamic Jihad operates in the Cairo area. It has a network outside Egypt, including Yemen, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom.

External Aid

The extent of its aid from outside of Egypt is not known. The Egyptian Government claims that both Iran and Osama bin Laden support the Jihad. It also may obtain some funding through various Islamic nongovernmental organizations, cover businesses, and criminal acts.

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Activities

Leadership

Location/Area of Operation

External Aid

See also