Was the Deadly Sinai Attack More Than It Seems?

by Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org - Home - Stephen Lendman)

On November 24, gunmen, brandishing the ISIS flag, attacked Sufi Muslim worshipers during Friday prayers at Egypt's northern Sanai al-Rawda mosque, near Bir al-Abd.

Arriving in SUVs, they positioned themselves near the mosque's doors and windows. As its imam began delivering his sermon, they  burst in, opening fire on around 500 worshipers, reportedly detonating explosives, killing over 300, wounding scores more - the deadliest terror attack in modern Egyptian history.

When ambulances arrived to transport the wounded to local hospitals, they were attacked. 

No group claimed responsibility for the incident. ISIS fighters killed Sufis earlier in northern Sinai. Reportedly they called Bir al-Abd a potential target. 

Last January, ISIS issued a stern warning to the town to abandon its Sufi faith, the area repeatedly threatened by the terrorist group.

Egyptian leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi promised revenge. Islamic militants have been active in Sinai since mid-2013, killing at least 1,000 Egyptian security force personnel.

ISIS claimed responsibility for bombing churches in Cairo and other Egyptian cities, killing dozens of Christian worshipers.

Cairo's military campaign against jihadism has been largely ineffective. Attacks have continued for over four years, Friday's the deadliest by far, perhaps signaling more to come.

It's too early to speculate on what's going on. Suspicions are warranted.

America created and supports ISIS, deploying its fighters to theaters where it wants them used as imperial foot soldiers.

They were went to Iraq to weaken the country, giving Washington a pretext for permanent occupation.

In Syria they were used, along with other terrorist groups, to try toppling Assad, enabling a pro-Western government be installed if successful. 

Even with the nation nearing liberation, Washington intends permanent occupation - on the phony pretext of remaining to prevent ISIS from returning and until peace talks successfully resolve nearly seven years of war, likely prevented by unacceptable US demands.

Is Washington using ISIS fighters in Egypt to destabilize the country? Does the Pentagon want a permanent military presence in the nation?

It's been expanding covertly in Africa for years, its operations on the continent mostly unreported and hidden. It has an expanding network in two dozen or more African countries.

Egypt is key on the continent. America lacks known military bases in the country. Is it using ISIS terrorism to create a pretext for establishing a military presence, or a greater one there - claiming it's to intervene against the terrorist group it controls and supports?

At this point, it's guesswork, no clear evidence proving it. The region is a hotbed of violence and instability because of America's presence - including in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and elsewhere.

Is Egypt being targeted the same way to serve Washington's imperial interests - along with Israel's? The fullness of time may explain.

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