FJP in North Sinai Downplays Reports of al-Qaeda Presence

Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) representative in North Sinai, Salah Tabrany, doubted reports posted on numerous websites of al Qaeda presence in the area and its plans to declare an Islamic state, taking an advantage of absence of strong central gov’t in Cairo.

Speaking to Ikhwanweb, Tabrany stated that these rumors are spread in an effort to create chaos in the region by claiming links to al-Qaeda.

He asserted that there are no al-Qaeda elements in the Sinai Peninsula and reports about the terror network’s presence there are completely groundless.

He charged that the rumours were instigated by officials belonging to Palestine’s Mohamed Dahlan, a Fatah leader recruited by the former Mubarak regime following Hamas’ electoral win.

Tabrany rejected the attempts made to defame and tarnish the image of the people of Sinai, whom he described  as devoted to Egypt’s wellbeing and abiding by the law and the constitution, and called on authorities and the nation to take a stance against these rumours in order to salvage the country’s stability.