Victorious Sect (Jihadi Entity, Egypt)

• Local Name: طيفة المنصورة
• Transliteration: Ta’ifa al-Mansoura
• Alternatives: N/a
• Status: ca. 2005 – 2006 (Defeated)
• Conflicts: Islamist Militancy in Egypt

The Victorious Sect [TaM; Ta’ifa al-Mansoura] was a group of about two dozen radical Islamists based in Cairo. Its members were students or recent graduates from universities in the Egyptian capital city.¹ They lived across the metropolis.² Most of the TaM’s members were poor, but some came from affluent families. The group was led by Ahmed Gabr and his deputy Ahmed Bassiouini.³

The TaM was alleged to have been in contact with foreign jihadi elements.⁴ Its members collected jihadi propaganda materials and manuals on bomb and poison manufacturing.⁵ TaM cadres were also believed to have raised funds through donations at mosques.⁶ The Egyptian authorities became suspicious of the group and placed it under surveillance. Intelligence services eventually assumed that the TaM was preparing attacks on tourist sites, gas pipelines and Christian and Muslim religious leaders.⁷

On Feb. 16, 2006, police arrested Gabr. In the following weeks, at least 21 other people affiliated with the TaM were apprehended.⁸ Police confiscated jihadi propaganda and contact information, but found no explosives and weapons. On Apr. 19, 2006, the Egyptian government announced to the public that they had rolled up the TaM.⁹ Friends and family members of the alleged militants rejected the claims and staged demonstrations.¹⁰ International human rights organizations accused the government of having fabricated the accusations.¹¹ The torture of the detainees was also denounced.¹²

By the summer of 2006, it became clear that investigators had no concrete proof that TaM operatives had been preparing to carry out attacks.¹³ Gradually those detained were cleared for release. The men were freed at a very slow rate. By the end of 2007, only twelve jailed TaM members had been released.¹⁴