Ajnad Misr – Muslim Brotherhood-Linked Terror?

The leader of an Egyptian jihadist group has called for “Holy War” against the Egyptian Government. Magd Eddin al-Masri,  of Ajnad Misr, “Soldiers of Egypt” told followers last Thursday,”Jihad in Egypt is an obligation,” via an online video.

Over the past year, Egyptian police have been plagued by numerous bomb attacks aimed directly at them, committed by a jihadist organization calling themselves Ajnad Misr, which translates as “Soldiers of Egypt.” First known from their first public announcement on Twitter on January 23, 2014, Ajnad Misr has engaged in a bombing campaign against the Egyptian police and military since its founding in November 2013.

In contrast to most other jihadist groups, Ajnad Misr, as may be inferred from the name, combines nationalism with jihadism, recognizing the legitimacy of an Egyptian state. Despite the nationalist messages, Ajnad Misr is clearly a Salafist inspired group. The group has used Salafist slogans and has decried “man-made laws.” It is unknown if Ajnad Misr is affiliated with Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, but the latter group has referred to Ajnad Misr as their “brothers” by the Sinai-based terrorist group, and even claimed responsibility for Ajnad Misr’s first bombings. In contrast with the Sinai-based Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, Ajnad Misr conducts their operations in the urban areas of mainland Egypt.

Unlike many other groups Ajnad Misr does not attack civilians, choosing only to target police and military. Magd Eddin al-Masri, Ajnad Misr’s leader, has openly called for jihad targeting government forces in response to the crackdown on protestors in the waste of former President Mohammed Morsi’s ouster in July 2013, and the crackdowns at Raba’a and Nahda Square which ensued a month later. The focus on these local outrages by government forces give Ajnad Misr a possible wide appeal to Egyptians disenchanted with the al-Sisi government.

A video of a man claiming to be a former member of Ajnad Misr indicates the possible identity of Magd Eddin al-Masri and several other key members of the small group. Magd, apparently known as Hamam Attia, manufactures the IEDs and gives them to other members to place them in police kiosks or police vehicles.

Ajnad Misr’s manifesto indicates a closer ideological kinship to the Muslim Brotherhood than other extremist groups. The manifesto specifically targets the current Egyptian government, referring to an incomplete revolution that failed to exterminate “the roots of corruption” that allowed for the intrusion of “men, remnants, and earthly laws of oppression’s institutions to exploit this weakness and re-emerge in an even uglier and more criminal form.” The usage of “earthly laws of oppression’s institutions” and the will for the “establishment of a state that pleases God Almighty, the Qu’ran and the Prophet’s teachings” are illustrative of the ideological heritage of Sayyid Qutb, preeminent Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, who viewed any imposition of an earthly law (opposed to Islamic law, viewed as divinely prescribed) as Jahiliyyahh, a form of corruption against God’s authority requiring jihad to be waged against it. Qutb wrote:

This movement uses the methods of preaching and persuasion for reforming ideas and beliefs, and it uses physical power and Jihad for abolishing the organizations and authorities of the Jahili system which prevents people from reforming their ideas and beliefs, but forces them to obey their erroneous ways and make them serve human lords instead of the Almighty Lord.

Al-Masri’s claim that Jihad in Egypt is obligatory echoes similar calls in past years that have been made by chief Muslim Brotherhood jurist Yusuf Al-Qaradawi.

While Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, which also arose out of the response to the removal of the Morsi Muslim Brotherhood government, it has formally declared its allegiance to the Islamic State, becoming known as “Sinai Province,” from what we know of Ajnad Misr so far, with its strong ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, it seems likely that Ajnad Misr is likely to remain focused on achieving the Ikhwan’s primary objective of waging a campaign against Al-Sisi’ rule.