Egyptian militant group joins ISIS, ‘new dawn’ towards a caliphate
A Muslim terrorist group in Egypt, Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, has pledged their loyalty to Islamic State in a new audio clip as the Sunni militants continue to spread their influence across the region.
The audio was first posted to their Twitter page and the Ansar Bait al-Maqdis website on Sunday. Ansar Beit al-Maqdis decided to join the Islamic State group “whose emergence resembles a new dawn raising the banner of monotheism.”
Michael Zehaf-Bibeau linked to ISIS? photo/Islamic State flag
ISIS, also identified as Islamic State, is striving for a governance under strict Sharia Law, a caliphate.
The man was self-identified as the group’s information department head. Twitter suspended the account, but has now been reopened.
“They are just different names for the same terrorists,” Egypt’s Interior Ministry spokesman Hany Abdel Latif told AFP, adding the Egyptian troops will fight Ansar regardless of whether it is part of the IS or not.
Ansar Beit al-Maqdis is a Sinai-based jihadist group which emerged following the ousting of Hosni Mubarak in the Arab Spring revolution of 2011.
The group has stepped up attacks in the Sinai Peninsula after the Egyptian military overthrew President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
The group is believed to be behind a massive car bomb explosion at a checkpoint protected by armored vehicles northwest of the town of Arish, that killed 28 soldiers and a drive-by shooting several hours later at a checkpoint in Arish, that killed three. Both attacks took place on Friday, 24 October 2014.
Note: The alternate spelling of the group’s name is Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis
