Salafist Front

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The Salafist Front is an Egyptian Salafist organization that was founded after the 2011 Egyptian revolution [1] after breaking away from the Salafist Call. [2] It has been called "one of the largest Salafist associations in the Middle East". [3] The organization was part of the Anti-Coup Alliance, [3] though it announced on 4 December 2014 that it had withdrawn from the alliance. [4] It has also been described as one of the most revolutionary Islamist movements in Egypt. [2]

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The spokesperson of the front, Khaled Saeed, was a member of the Virtue Party. [5] [6] The Salafist Front backed Hazem Salah Abu Ismail in the 2012 presidential election in Egypt. [7] The organization launched the People Party in 2012. [8]

The front has called for protests on 28 November 2014. [9] Several Islamist parties (including the Building and Development Party, the Al-Wasat Party and the Homeland Party) have criticized the calls for revolution. [10] Other Islamist groups including the Virtue Party, Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Flag Party and the Muslim Brotherhood have expressed support for the protests. [10] The turnout for the protests was relatively small. [11] The organization stated that it was "let down" by other Islamic groups. [12]

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References

  1. "Salafis call for Islamic law in Egypt protest". CNN. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  2. 1 2 "New Salafi party has curious policy mix". Egypt Independent. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Salafist Front to boycott constitutional referendum". Ahram Online. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  4. "More Islamist groups withdraw from Anti-Coup Alliance". Daily News Egypt. 6 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  5. "Salafis in Cairo aim to establish 'Virtue' political party". Egypt Independent. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  6. "Salafi Front to leave Mohamed Mahmoud if violence occurs". Egypt Independent. 19 November 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  7. "Influential Salafist Front to support Abu-Ismail's presidential bid". Ahram Online. 12 March 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  8. "Salafi Front Launches "Al-Shaab" Party". Daily News Egypt. 20 October 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  9. "Salafi Front vows to stage an 'Islamic revolution'". Daily News Egypt. 1 November 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  10. 1 2 "Egypt's Islamist movements divided over calls for 28 November uprising". Daily News Egypt. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  11. "Few Egyptians heed calls for 'Islamic revolution'; minor clashes". Ahram Online. 28 November 2014. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  12. "Salafist Front says Nov 28 'failure,' 'let down' by other Islamic currents". Cairo Post. 29 November 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2014.