The leader of Al-Takfir wal-Hijra in North Sinai, AbdulFatah Hassan Hussein, was arrested Friday, according to the army spokesman’s office.
Al-Takfir wal-Hijra was founded by Shukri Mostafa in 1971 upon the basis of rejecting contemporary Egyptian practices and is considered a terrorist organisation.
The announcement on the army spokesman’s website said that Hussein is considered one of Egypt’s “foremost terrorist leaders” and has broken several criminal laws.
“He was captured during the successful security campaign carried out by elements of the second field army in the Kharouba area in northern Sinai,” the statement added. Hussein’s aide was also captured in the process.
“The successful efforts of the armed forces and police in Sinai led to the arrest of 25 extremely dangerous takfirist elements, ones who are accused of attacking and ambushing armed forces, civilians and police in Sinai,” the statement said, adding that eight other suspects accused of “the implementation of a number of terrorist operations” were captured.
“The campaign also led to the discovery and destruction of three tunnels to smuggle people and goods,” the statement concluded.
