Egypt’s Prosecutor General Nabil Sadek referred on Monday 555 alleged members of the militant group “Sinai Province”, affiliated with the Islamic State group (IS), to military court on accusations of creating 43 “terrorist cells” that carried out 63 attacks that killed police and military personnel in North Sinai.
Supreme state security prosecution investigations revealed that the defendants joined the militant group Sinai Province, financed its members’ operations, provided it with logistical support, killed police and military officers, and bombed security checkpoints, as well as sabotaged a natural gas line between the town of Sheikh Zuweid and Port Said.
Sinai Province, the most dangerous and active militant group in Egypt in recent years, has carried out a serious of militant attacks that killed dozens of security personnel.
The militant group was previously known as “Ansar Beit al-Maqdis” (Supporters of Jerusalem) before it changed its name and pledged allegiance to IS in 2014. It expanded its operations outside the Sinai Peninsula and created cells in other governates, carrying out more attacks in the capital and other areas of the country.
After the ousting of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in 2013, it changed its focus from targeting Israel to targeting Egypt’s security forces.
