Egypt’s interior ministry is still investigating the statement released by a Sinai militant group claiming responsibility Thursday's attack on the interior minister, state news agency MENA reported on Sunday.
A group called Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis released an online statement on Sunday saying it was able to “shatter the security organisation of the murderer Mohamed Ibrahim [the interior minister], through a martyrdom operation.”
A high-ranking police source told MENA the statement “raises suspicions” because it comes four days after the attack. The source added that the statement may be true or an attempt to “mislead investigating authorities.”
He also suggested the attack may be a response to security forces’ recent operations against militant groups in Sinai which have killed at least 100 militants and arrested over 200, according to army figures.
A car bomb detonated near Ibrahim’s convoy as he was leaving home for work on Thursday in northeast Cairo, killing one person and injuring at least 20 others.
Security forces have arrested 80 people and are currently questioning them as part of their investigations into the incident.
