By: Murissa Barrington
A horrific terror attack on a Egyptian mosque has left more than 235 people dead and 109 injured.
According to the state news agency MENA, the attack was carried out by ISIS militants at the Al-Rawdah mosque in the northern Sinai Peninsula area of Egypt.
A bomb was detonated inside the mosque while worshippers took part in their prayer service Friday. Those who managed to escape the explosion tried to run out the door but were met with more armed militants waiting outside.
The massacre is believed to be the worst civilian attack in Egypt’s history and an extraordinary move by ISIS.
In the past, ISIS would carry out attacks against Christian believers and civilians in Egypt, but this is the first time that the terrorist group carried out an attack on an Islamic place of worship.
Most worshippers who attended the Al-Rawdah mosque were said to be Sufi Muslims.
Dr. Fuad Sahin, chief founding member of International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF) and an Islamic scholar, said attacks like this have very little to do with religion.
“Maybe two or three per cent are related to religion or faith and other things,” Sahin said. “Ninety-five per cent is moved by political and rural disturbances being done by ground service and money lovers.”
Sahin, 95, who is also considered one of the first Muslim settlers in Canada, said that these attacks were unfortunate and that they could have happened in any place of worship.
Leaders from across the globe have spoken out to condemn the attacks and express their condolences to those affected in Egypt.
On Twitter, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada “strongly condemns” the bombing in Egypt and that his “thoughts are with the victims & all those injured in this heinous attack.”
Canada strongly condemns today’s bombing of a mosque in Egypt. Our thoughts are with the victims & all those injured in this heinous attack.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) November 24, 2017
U.S. President Donald Trump also took to Twitter to comment on the attack. In a series of tweets, Trump called the attack a “horrible and cowardly terrorist attack on innocent and defenseless [worshipers] in Egypt.”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934080974773776384
Trump later tweeted that he would be calling Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to discuss the attack but then added that Americans “need the WALL, need the BAN!”
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/934131805409697792
President el-Sisi put out a statement through the state news agency MENA and said that the “heinous act will not pass without punishing all perpetrators.”