Excerpt from document summary
name and title removed) recently met to discuss the)
declining security situation in the region. (title removed)
expressed concern over the increased availability of weapons,
arbitrary arrests and lack of central government response to
the killing of a prominent North Sinai resident.

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FM AMEMBASSY CAIRO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4733
Content
S E C R E T CAIRO 000080

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ELA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2020
TAGS: PGOV, KCRM
SUBJECT: NORTH SINAI LOCAL COUNCIL DISCUSSES SECURITY
PROBLEMS

REF: CAIRO 37

Classified By: Counselor for Economic and Political Affairs Stephen P.
O'Dowd for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

1. (S) Key Points:

-- The North Sinai local council recently met to discuss the
declining security situation in the region. The councilmen
expressed concern over the increased availability of weapons,
arbitrary arrests and lack of central government response to
the killing of a prominent North Sinai resident.

-- The council supports increased involvement of the Egyptian
military, tribal sheikhs and local leaders to control the
violence.

-- Councilmen insist that Egyptian security improve its
treatment of local citizens and take steps to control
corruption.

2. (S/NF) (name and title removed), provided post with a readout of the January 11
council meeting in El Arish on the security situation in
North Sinai in the wake of recent attacks and demonstrations
(reftel). The meeting was attended by all five North Sinai
MPs and Mounir Al Chorbagy, the NDP Secretary General for
North Sinai, whose nephew was killed in last week's
carjacking.

3. (S) The council expressed concern about the proliferation
and increased use of weapons in North Sinai. The councilmen
condemned the arbitrary arrests of 35 individuals as a result
of last week's attack and encouraged the North Sinai
Governorate to stop the practice and involve tribal sheikhs
and local leaders in resolving the attacks and bringing the
"real criminals" to justice. The council expressed
frustration that "the central government had not responded to
the attacks in North Sinai in the same manner that it did in
Nag Hammadi, where ministers were quick to visit and the
Prosecutor General launched an immediate investigation."

4. (S) The council recommended that the Egyptian military be
used to control the security situation in North Sinai, if the
Ministry of Interior's (MOI) police are unable to maintain
control. However, councilmen insisted that "security's
treatment of the local population improve and steps be taken
to control rampant corruption within the security services."
The council supported Egyptian Army operations in central
Sinai because "the MOI is ineffective due to the harsh nature
of central Sinai Bedouin and the challenges of pursuing
suspected criminals in central Sinai." The councilmen vowed
to continue meeting on a regular basis until the security
situation is resolved.
SCOBEY