In an interview with al-Tahrīr, Tāriq al-Zumur speaks about the current situation in Egypt. al-Zumur spent nearly 30 years in prison for taking part in the assassination of former Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat in 1981. al-Zumur is a famous leader of the al-Jamā’ah al-Islāmīyyah and founder of Hizb al-Binā’ wal-Tanmīyah (Construction and Development Party).

The current regime has allowed al-Zumur to practice politics and he has recently formed a political party. In his political discourse al-Zumur continues to direct a wave of accusations against Copts in Egypt, connecting the Church to the violent events that have recently hit Egypt.

According to al-Zumur there are three principal groups behind the wave of violence that began last October: former presidential candidate Hamdīn Sabbāhī, the Fulūl, or remnants of the former Mubarak regime, and the Egyptian Church. Additionally, al-Zumur says the recently surfaced anarchist group “Black Bloc” is made up of a large number of Copts. al-Zumur also claims that the Fulūl is funding thugs to stir on riots throughout the country. There are also numerous policemen who work for followers of the Mubarak regime.

al-Zumur explains that el-Baradei’s reason for demanding the parliamentary elections to be postponed is because he is weak and doesn’t have the power to compete against the Islamists. al-Zumur doesn’t completely exonerate President Morsi (Mursī) and his regime. He says they cannot manage the country.

Finally, al-Zumur revealed that al-al-Jamā’ah al-Islāmīyyah is forming a new party called al-Amān wal-Tanmīyah (Security and Development Party), which will participate in the upcoming elections.  He said the candidates are likely to obtain a lot of votes and receive great support from the Muslim Brotherhood (Giovana Locatelli, al-Tahrīr, February 24, p. 16). Read original text