The Egyptian cabinet along with the grand imam of Al-Azhar, Minister of Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa, and current Grand Mufti Shawqy Allam condemned the attempt on the life of Islamic cleric and former mufti Ali Gomaa.
The state’s religious figures described the attempt as “cowardly” and done by the extremists.
Gomaa was targeted early Friday while going to a mosque in 6th of October City. Local news reports that the assailants fired around 50 bullets at Gomaa. However, he survived the attack and his personal security guard was injured in the leg, according to the Ministry of Interior.
Gomaa wrote on Facebook that “an evil few tried to assault him but with God’s protection he survived”. Gomaa called his assassinators “Dogs of Hell”.
It is not clear who is responsible for the assassination attempt. The Ministry of Interior told Daily News Egypt that the perpetrators are still on the run, and that the authorities are intensifying their efforts to arrest them.
However, a minor local militant group named Hasm, whose activities are minimal, claimed the attack using an online statement, claiming that “Gomaa is sheik of hypocrisy” and a supporter of “military regimes”.
