Dr. Bahaa Helmy Writes: Lone Wolves… A Continuing Danger

It seems that the coronavirus crisis has created favourable conditions for terrorist activity in many countries of the world at the hands of lone or solitary wolves. There is the growing danger of ISIS and the ideology of violence it believes in and adopts against humanity and the heavenly religions, whether in the European countries and the United States, or in West Africa and the Sahel region, or in East Africa. In recent years the organization has relied on a strategy of individual terrorism (lone wolves), by granting an open licence for jihad by personal decision and with any weapon or tool, even a kitchen knife. With direct electronic guidance, or through indirect suggestion, to carry out stabbing, ramming or bombing attacks or any assault that leads to killing, which is their main and highest goal. The protective and preventive measures taken by governments have affected the circumstances and priorities in the various countries of the world, such as “devoting efforts to confronting the virus and the risks of infection and reducing deaths, and lockdown and social distancing, which led to the disruption of institutions, businesses and production”. They have also directly affected the standard of living and the volume of government spending to support the medical and health sector, together with the financial support and benefits needed to sustain the many groups who lost their jobs. The security situation in many of these countries and regions has also been affected as a result of unrest, chaos or internal disturbances, or the exploitation of circumstances to move mercenaries and takfiris to new areas, as Turkey did in Tripoli, Libya, with the aim of creating a terrorist Brotherhood hotbed to achieve its colonial and Brotherhood goals and to try to seize natural resources, in a way that threatens Egyptian, Arab and European national security. This is happening amid the decline of the role of the international coalition in confronting terrorism and the withdrawal of American forces from many locations, in addition to the decline of the role of the religious establishment in renewing religious discourse, the failure to correct concepts by dealing with the sources and hotbeds of violent extremist thought, and the lack of concern for the importance of purging the curricula in schools, religious institutes and the various means of education, including distance learning, of destructive ideas. In keeping with the education, culture and civilization policies of advanced societies, and upholding the values and principles of human rights, in particular protecting the human right to life, in the face of those takfiris. In addition to the above, there are further challenges facing Egyptian, Arab and regional national security, “such as the problem of the Ethiopian dam and the Nile waters, the attempt to partition Libya and to build a base for manufacturing Brotherhood extremism in Tripoli, the continuing confrontation of terrorism in Sinai, and the race against time in the battle of building and reconstruction to support the sustainable development plans in Egypt”. Then came the speech of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during his inspection visit to the armed forces in the Western Military Region, announcing to the world full support for the brotherly Libyan people and Egypt’s strategy for preserving national security. This attracted the attention of nations, and provoked the officials of the International Organization of the Brotherhood, headed by the Turkish president, and the “Hamadain” organization at the same time. The various international and local media, including the Turkish and Qatari media and the Brotherhood’s electronic committees, led with Egypt’s vision from the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, who is aware of and understands the dimensions of what he says. In keeping with the hostile nature of Brotherhood thought, there was an escalation and media targeting against the Egyptian army and people, exploiting every evil means, whether by spreading rumours and trying to target morale, by stirring up incidents of sectarian strife, or by targeting the state and its security institutions with terrorist operations in Sinai or through lone wolves, while supporting every evil act targeting Egypt. The patriotic spirit prevailing in Egyptian society is the barrier against any hostile act; the unity of ranks and social cohesion melt away all strife and conspiracies; vigilance, the caution and care of members of society, and the immediate reporting of any suspected hostility are a sincere patriotic act; that we stand together as one is a true translation of the slogan… Long live Egypt.