Immunity through reform

By Naguib Mahfouz

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The recent Taba bombings almost coincided with the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack on me in November 1994. Over the past decade I have seen terrorism gradually recede from Egypt and I have heard radical groups openly renouncing violence. We have thus come to regard terrorism as an external phenomenon, something that happens elsewhere: in the US or Iraq, for example.

I was, therefore, deeply disturbed by the event in Taba, which jarred so violently with the general trend. True, we in Egypt have many problems, but terrorism was not among them.

I recently came across an op-ed piece in one of our national newspapers describing the Taba incident as the beginning of a wave of violence that has encroached on the borders of our country and will now work its way inwards. This analysis suggests that the bombings, which claimed many Israeli lives, were intended to target Egypt rather than Israel.

I pray this is not the case. Perhaps the unprecedented violence that is taking place on the other side of the border has begun to spill over to our side.

In all events, we must safeguard our society from that malignant disease, starting by hastening political and economic reform.

Based on an interview by Mohamed Salmawy.