Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis swear allegiance to Islamic State

[DJKeefy]

Egypt's Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis swear allegiance to Islamic State.

Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis, Egypt's most active militant group, has sworn allegiance to Islamic State, a statement from Ansar said Monday night.

Ansar had previously told Reuters that it sought inspiration and advice from Islamic State, the radical Al-Qaeda offshoot that has taken over swathes of Iraq and Syria, drawing US-led airstrikes as it tries to remake the map of the Middle East.

"After entrusting God we decided to swear allegiance to the emir of the faithful Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, caliph of the Muslims in Syria and Iraq and in other countries," the statement said.

Last week the government declared a three-month state of emergency in parts of North Sinai following attacks that killed at least 33 security personnel in some of the worst anti-state violence since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but similar previous operations have been claimed by Ansar.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/114675.aspx

[DJKeefy]

Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis denies swearing allegiance to Islamic State.

Ansar Bayt Al-Maqdis, Egypt's most active militant group, has denied swearing allegiance to Islamic State (IS).

"Attention. The statement spread in the media about our alleged allegiance to the Muslim caliphate is not ours, everyone should be careful and only take news from our main sources," said a tweet published on what is thought to be the group's official Twitter account '@3Ansar_B_Almqds'.

The account has been used to claim responsibility for several attacks, including an assassination attempt on interior minister Ahmed Ibrahim. It regularly publishes the group's official statements and video clips.

On Sunday, media reports said the group had sworn allegiance to IS, the Syria and Iraq-based militant group.

"After asking God we decided to swear allegiance to the emir of the faithful, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, caliph of the Muslims in Syria and Iraq and in other countries," the alleged statement said.

Last week, the government declared a three-month state of emergency in parts of North Sinai following attacks that killed at least 33 security personnel in some of the worst violence since the ouster of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Source: http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/114724.aspx

[Dusak]

Well, he would say that now wouldn't he. Bit like the gay marriage Y-tube post, ''our friends are just goin' to love this.'' Well they did, as the other side did, but for different reasons. Three years each for three minutes of fame.

[Zooropa]

Oh, the irony of politics, one group, that looks like it carries out attacks including an assassination attempt on a member of a democratically elected government wants to distance itself from another group that carries out attacks and assassination attempts.

Why?

Are they the wrong kind of bad?

Or are they worried it would be politically damaging to them?

You couldn't make it up.