Egypt: Sisi government 'freed Islamic State leader' behind deadliest attack on civilians
A senior leader of the Islamic State group in Egypt’s Sinai is now living freely with his family after he was granted amnesty by the government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in 2021, a human rights group revealed on Thursday.
According to the Sinai Foundation for Human Rights (SFHR), Mohammad Saad Kamel, known by the nom de guerre of Abu Hamza al-Qadi, was among IS leaders and fighters who turned themselves in to authorities three years ago in exchange for their release.
Qadi was the third in command of the IS-affiliated Sinai Province and the group’s "mufti" and "chief judge" between 2016 and 2021, said SFHR. It added that he had issued a religious opinion authorising the 2017 attack on a mosque in North Sinai, which killed more than 305 worshippers - the worst mass killing of civilians in a militant attack in Egypt’s history.
"Abu Hamza al-Qadi is currently living with his wife and children and has housing and a monthly salary," SFHR said, citing a TV interview with the military spokesperson in 2022 in which he said that those who turn themselves in are treated humanely and given homes, if they are not charged with any crimes.
SFHR added that Qadi has not faced any charges since his surrender in 2021.
"Aِِl-Qadi’s fatwas laid the groundwork for an unprecedented bloody phase against civilians in Sinai, leading to authorising the shedding of the blood of all civilians who interacted with the army, whether by delivering water to an army point, transporting cement from an army factory, or being a construction worker building a wall in an army project," SFHR said in a post on X.
'Aِِl-Qadi’s fatwas laid the groundwork for an unprecedented bloody phase against civilians in Sinai...'
- Sinai Foundation for Human Rights
Middle East Eye contacted the Egyptian army for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.
An Egyptian military source said that some released IS members have been relocated to Ismailia, west of the Suez Canal, and other unnamed areas where "they are under heavy surveillance by the Military Intelligence".
"All terror suspects who surrender themselves to military forces and cooperate peacefully are treated in a decent way," the source said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak with the press.
"There are suspects who are granted amnesty to live peacefully with their families under the protection of the authorities, to help the state neutralise the threat of other extremists."
Middle East Eye could not independently verify the location of Qadi.
In a report released on Wednesday, SFHR and Human Rights Watch (HRW) said that four North Sinai residents testified that relatives and residents of their villages who had been members of IS are now living with their families in Ismailia and adjacent places, with security agencies providing them with a monthly salary and ID cards to use within a designated area.
'Senior extremist leader'
The Egyptian army, aided by local tribesmen, fought a war against members of the Sinai Province between 2013 and 2022. The Egyptian government estimates that at least 650 civilians have been killed by the Sinai Province since 2013.
The group was relatively small and poorly armed, according to local Sinai tribal sources who spoke to Middle East Eye, and was officially defeated in 2022.
In their report, SFHR and HRW said the amnesty given to Qadi and other IS fighters was "questionable".
"Amnesty for members of armed groups who lay down their arms should never include those who intentionally carried out grave crimes such as targeting or deliberately killing civilians," said Ahmed Salem, executive director of SFHR.
Qadi’s surrender was announced on 10 September 2021 by the Union of Sinai Tribes, a North Sinai-based pro-government militia closely aligned with the armed forces and led by Sisi ally Ibrahim al-Organi.
In a Facebook post, the militia described Qadi as "a senior extremist leader", "head of the [Sinai Province] Sharia court", and "the leader of the preachers of terrorist extremist elements".
"After coordinating and ensuring safe passage for him and his family (a wife and three children), and guiding him until he was handed over, we confirm for the millionth time that the leaders of the terrorist organisation who are either killed or surrendering daily are a testament to the achievements of the armed forces in the battlefield," the statement said.
The laws of armed conflicts allow for the granting of broad amnesties at the end of hostilities, but that does not include individuals suspected of or charged with committing grave violations of international humanitarian law.
The release of IS fighters has prompted comparisons between the amnesty and Sisi’s policy of detaining tens of thousands of peaceful critics since 2013.
'It is the right of the citizen to clearly know what criteria are used to grant amnesty to individuals suspected of committing widespread violence and mass murder'
- Sinai Foundation for Human Rights
Meanwhile, SFHR posted a collage of Qadi and political prisoner Ayman Mousa, who was detained at the age of 19 and spent the last 10 years in prison for taking part in peaceful protests.
"It is the right of the citizen to clearly know what criteria are used to grant amnesty to individuals suspected of committing widespread violence and mass murder crimes, while at the same time not granting it to political opponents accused of social media posting or protesting," SFHR wrote.
Egyptian jails hold at least 65,000 political prisoners opposed to Sisi, according to a study released by the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information in April 2021.
*Shahenda Naguib contributed to this report from Cairo.
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