Egyptian Group With Apparent Zarqawi Link Claims Responsibility for Sharm el-Sheikh Bombings

In a new communique posted online and verified as authentic by sources close to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the "Egyptian Tawheed and Jihad Movement" has claimed responsibility for recent suicide bombing attacks in the Sinai resort towns of Taba and Sharm el-Sheikh.  The statement named five alleged "martyrs" from October's terrorist attacks in Taba and justified the latest carnage in Sharm el-Sheikh as "the response to the orders of Allah and his Prophet to fight the infidels everywhere... [and] to show obedience to the commanders of the mujahideen, Usama Bin Laden and Sheikh Ayman al-Zawahiri."

Prior to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi swearing bayat (an oath of allegiance) to Usama Bin Laden in November 2005, his terrorist affiliate organization in Iraq was likewise known as the "Tawheed and Jihad Movement."  Only hours after the latest bombings in Egypt, Zarqawi's media wing released a video showing Al-Qaida interrogators questioning former Egyptian Ambassador to Baghdad Ihab el-Sherif concerning the location of Jews in the Sinai Peninsula--to which an obviously distressed Sherif responded, "From Taba to Sharm el-Sheikh."

Click to view English translation c/o Globalterroralert.com
Click to view July 23 Al-Qaida video of Egyptian Ambassador in Iraq