VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHEG #2541 3561123
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 211123Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1190
INFO RUEILB/NCTC WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS CAIRO 002541 
 
SIPDIS 
 
S/CT FOR SHORE; NCTC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER ASEC EG
SUBJECT: EGYPT: 2008 COUNTRY REPORT ON TERRORISM 
 
REF: SECSTATE 120019 
 
¶1.  Egypt is an ally in the Global War on Terrorism.  The 
Egyptian and U.S. governments maintained a robust dialogue 
on a broad range of counter-terrorism and law enforcement 
issues in 2008 and exchanged information on a variety of 
terrorism, security, and law enforcement matters during 
the course of the year.  In 2008, Egypt hosted 
the fourth annual session of the U.S.-Egypt Counter- 
Terrorism Joint Working Group, and the next meeting of 
the group will likely be held in 2009 in Washington. 
 
¶2.  There were no successful terrorist attacks in Egypt in 
2008, due mainly to the vigilance and effectiveness of 
Egypt's security services. 
 
¶3.  During 2008, the imprisoned former leader of Egyptian 
Islamic Jihad, Sayid Imam al-Sharif, issued a sequel to his 
2007 critique of violent jihad.  His critique, while 
not a rejection of the concept of violent jihad, attempts 
to establish "rules of engagement" and also 
suggests non-violent alternatives. 
 
¶4.  The Egyptian government's active opposition to Islamist 
terrorism, and effective intelligence and security services, 
makes Egypt an unattractive locale for terror groups. 
There is no evidence of active foreign terrorist groups in 
the country.  However, Egypt's northern Sinai region is a 
base for the smuggling of arms and explosives into Gaza, 
and a transit point for Gazan Palestinians.  Palestinian 
officials from Hamas have also carried large amounts of 
cash across the border.  The smuggling of humans, weapons, 
and other contraband through the Sinai into Israel and the 
Gaza Strip has created criminal networks that may be 
associated with terror groups in the region.  The apparent 
radicalization of some Sinai Bedouin may possibly be linked 
in part to these smuggling networks and Egyptian efforts to 
dismantle them. 
 
¶5.  In the past six years, Egypt has tightened its terror 
finance regulations in keeping with relevant UN Security 
Council Resolutions.  Egypt passed strong anti-money 
laundering legislation in 2002, established a financial 
intelligence unit in 2003, and ratified the latest UN 
Convention to Combat Terror Finance in 2005.  In 2008, 
Egypt strengthened its anti-money laundering legislation 
by specifically adding terrorism financing to the list of 
punishable crimes.  The Government of Egypt also maintains 
open lines of communication with U.S. Embassy 
officials concerning terrorist finance information.  Egypt 
regularly informs its own financial institutions of any 
individuals or entities which are designated by any of the 
UN sanctions committees.  In 2008, a team from the UN 
Counterterrorism Committee Executive Directorate visited 
Egypt to review efforts to implement UN counterterrorism 
resolutions. 
 
¶6.  Egypt maintained its strengthened airport security 
measures and security for the Suez Canal, and continued to 
institute more stringent port security measures. 
 
¶6. The Egyptian judicial system does not allow plea 
bargaining, and terrorists have historically been prosecuted 
to the full extent of the law.  Terrorism defendants may be 
tried in military tribunals or emergency courts. In terms of 
evidence for counter-terrorism cases in the U.S., Egypt's 
judicial system is cooperative within the framework of the 
Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).  (Note: The MLAT is 
a formal mechanism for the United States to request from 
Egypt evidence for use in U.S. courts. End note.) 
 
¶7. Many of the Egyptian president's far-reaching powers in 
the realmof counter-terrorism come from Egypt's 
EmergencyLaw, which has been in force since 1981, and 
wasrenewed by Parliament for two years 
in June 2008.  President Mubarak has pledged to lift the 
Emergency Law and has called for new anti-terrorism 
legislation to replace the Emergency Law, noting that Egypt 
should follow the example of other countries that have 
recently passed comprehensive laws to combat terrorism. 
Such legislation reportedly has been drafted but not 
submitted to or approved by Egypt's Parliament. 
 
¶8. Embassy Point of Contact:  Ed White at 
whiteea@state.gov. 
SCOBEY