Egypt hosts first Supreme Council to Combat Terrorism and Extremism

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi chaired on Thursday the first meeting of the Supreme Council to Combat Terrorism and Extremism.
El-Sisi called on the council to adopt a comprehensive national strategy to combat both domestic and international terrorism and extremism within a framework that covers the security, cultural, economic, social and media aspects.
The council was formed by the president in April after deadly attacks by Islamist militants against churches in Alexandria and Tanta to coordinate efforts in the government’s war on terrorism.
In the last four years, Egypt has been fighting against Islamist militant terror attacks on army and police, mostly in North Sinai, which have left hundreds of security personnel dead. Islamist militants have also carried out deadly attacks against Coptic churches on a number of occasions.
The council’s members include Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal, the grand imam of Al-Azhar Ahmed Al-Tayeb, and Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II.
Council members also include the ministers of defence, endowments, foreign affairs, interior, communication, justice, education, higher education, and social solidarity, as well as the heads of intelligence and the Administrative Control Authority.
El-Sisi stressed to council members the importance of spreading moderate religious discourse and virtuous concepts, as well as developing plans to protect young people from the dangers of extremism by providing job opportunities, the presidential spokesperson Alaa Youssef said in a statement.