Salafi media strategist says MB is on its deathbed

A media strategist of the Salafi Al-Nour Party in Alexandria said that Salafi MPs were performing positively and successfully in the parliament. Sameh Abdel-Hamid Hamouda explained that regardless of their small number, the performance of the Salafi deputies was admired by their colleagues from different political quarters. “The performance of the Salafi MPs is also acknowledged by their voters,” he said. 

Hamouda was dismissed from Al-Nour for allegedly breaking a taboo, giving statements to the media. Since his dismissal, Hamouda, known as an outspoken speaker, has intensified his contacts with the local media to debate controversial issues.

However, in an interview with the reference, he disclosed that negotiations were underway with Al-Nour’s leaders to get back the party ticket.

Hamouda confessed that Al-Nour was undergoing a systematic fierce campaign from different directions. But he said that  the fiercest blows were dealt by the Muslim Brotherhood. "The MB has mobilised its media platforms to damage Al-Nour’s image by circulating rumours and lies,” he said. “On the other hand, different independent television channels are waging a war against the party,” he added.   

Hamouda has ambitions to upgrade and develop the media apparatus of Al-Nour. “The Salafi party should upgrade its media to live up to its challenges,” he said. He confessed that the party’s miserable financial resources had frustrated the media strategy the party was seeking. “Due to its weak budget, Al-Nour did not launch a television channel,” he said. “Nor did the party for the same reasons publish its mouthpiece,” he said.

Explaining the reasons behind Al-Nour’s strong support to President Abdel-Fatah el-Sisi for a second term in presidency, the Salafi media strategist said: “President el-Sisi enjoys strong personality and qualifications, which conform with the challenges of this stage.” He also said that President el-Sisi is a very charismatic leader, who enjoys big popularity among the Egyptians. El-Sisi, the Salafi speaker continued, has tremendous popularity in the police, the judiciary, the army, the church and Al-Azhar. 

Ending overlapping relationships

In his interview with Al-Margi’, Hamouda asserted that Al-Nour had no longer been in two minds over the overlapping relationship of Daawa (call for Islam) and politics. “There are now  two independent departments for Daawa and politics. The overlapping relationship is over.” Elaborating he said: “There is an independent society for Daawa.  Al-Nour Party is alone committed to political issues.”  

Hamouda attributed the differences between Alexandria-based Salafis and their counterparts elsewhere to the establishment of several schools broadcasting the Salafi ideology. “As a result, there are those Salafis, who are walking in the footsteps of their ancestors and honour their principles and ethics,” he said. “On the other hand, there are Salafi-linked delinquents, who embraced the fallacies and misconceptions of the Muslim Brotherhood,” he said. According to the Salafi media strategist, these delinquents included Mohamed Abdel-Maksoud and Mohamed el-Saghir.   

Hamouda has an optimistic vision of the future of Al-Nour Party. His optimism is inspired by ‘the excellent popularity the party enjoys’. “Such popularity was endorsed when Al-Nour obtained one third of the votes during the parliament elections,” he said. He regretted that the closed slate had squandered these votes. “Al-Nour was competing alone against all other parties,” he noted. 

In his interview, Hamouda discounted speculations that reconciliation would take place between the MB and the Egyptian people. He retorted satirically: “The MB failed to bring about peace by resolving differences between its own leaders. So, how will it reconcile itself to the Egyptians? 

He indicated that the MB would wisely have a way out if it declared repentance of its crimes against the Egyptian people. “Also, the MB should renounce violence and apologise to the nation,” he said. Hamouda also wanted the MB to make confessions that it was the main reason behind instability and insecurity in society. He said: “It was the MB, which offered the opportunity to terrorism and violence to hit society,” he said.  He advised the MB to relinquish its wrong ideas and fallacies, and close its television channels broadcast in foreign countries only to damage the image of Egypt. The Salafi media strategist accused the MB elements abroad of hosting criminals, who escaped justice in Egypt.

Looking at the future of the MB from his perspective, Hamouda said that the terrorist organisation was undergoing the weakest period in its history, especially as its powerful men and decision-makers had been put in prison. “The MB is now undergoing unbearable local and external pressure. “The MB has nothing in its hands to discuss a compromise with the Egyptian state, especially after it was disowned by everybody,” he said.