Washington Post Egypt, facing terrorism, wants high-tech American border security system Egyptian officials want to buy high-tech American border surveillance equipment, the Pentagon said Wednesday, citing Cairo's desire to better monitor its borders with Libya specifically and other countries, as well. The State Department has entered an agreement with Cairo to sell the equipment for an estimated $100 million, the Defense Department said in a statement. The deal, which must be approved Congress, calls for the United States to supply mobile surveillance sensor towers, communications equipment and defense contractors who will travel to train Egyptians on how to use the equipment. Read More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/07/08/egypt-facing-terrorism-wants-high-tech-american-border-security-system/ Financial Times Proposed terrorism law provokes outcry in Egypt Egypt's government is seeking approval for a controversial antiterrorism law that could grant police wider powers, speed up trials and imprison journalists whose reports on attacks stray from the government line. The legislation follows deadly terrorist attacks that have shaken the regime and according to the government is needed to combat the violence that has plagued the country since the ousting of former Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. But it has sparked an outcry from rights activists, journalists and senior judges who say it fails to effectively fight terrorism and curtails freedom of expression and human rights. Read More: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6abb6f8-256b-11e5-9c4e-a775d2b173ca.html#axzz3fN7qs5j7 Wall Street Journal Islamic State Offshoot Entrenches in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula Before Islamist militants attacked the Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid last week, they smothered it with largess. A local group that claims allegiance to Islamic State handed out flour to help relieve food shortages during frequent clampdowns by the military over the last two years. They distributed cash to make up for income lost in recent unrest and offered U.S. dollar salaries to lure young men to their ranks, according to residents. The handouts, coupled with long-standing grievances of government neglect in the area, have helped Islamic State embed in the strategic peninsula between Israel and mainland Egypt—one of the most sensitive parts of Middle East. Read More: http://www.wsj.com/articles/islamic-state-offshoot-entrenches-in-egypts-sinai-peninsula-1436393296
