NORTH SINAI, Egypt: There are no al-Qaeda organizations in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, according to North Sinai Governor Abdelwahab Mabrouk. “I admit that a statement was distributed recently by an anonymous group calling itself ‘al-Qaeda Organization in the Sinai Peninsula,' but I think they are just armed extremist groups,” said Mabrouk. These groups take advantage of the deteriorating security state in Sinai, Mabrouk told the German news agency. A statement was distributed in the mosques in Arish, the capital of North Sinai, and in different neighborhoods demanding to separate Sinai into an Islamic emirate where Sharia, Islamic law, will be applied. The statement's distribution coincided with an attempt to storm Arish public hospital, where the body of Palestinian Alaa al-Masry was held. Al-Masry was killed last Friday during the attempt to storm Arish police station. Two military officers and four civilians were killed in the resulting clashes, and 19 injured.