Egypt's el-Asala will 'fight Islam’s enemies'

Egypt’s Salafist el-Asala party has held its first conference, entitled “Plans and Future Visions of the Party,” in Suez, at which members stressed the need to “fight the enemies of Islam.” El-Asala members announced they would run in upcoming parliamentary elections representing Egypt's Salafists, meanwhile expressing their solidarity with Islamist parties across the country. Mahmoud Nosseir, a party official, stressed el-Asala’s desire to implement Islamic law in Egypt, “without fanaticism,” he added. The party had displayed a “readiness” to enter coalitions with parties “that do not fight the Islamic movement,” Nosseir claimed, stressing the need for dialogue with different strands of Egyptian political life. El-Asala’s party chairman, Ehab Shiha, meanwhile claimed the party was “not satisfied” with ministerial performance under Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, particularly the Finance Ministry which was affected by President Morsi’s cabinet reshuffle this week. Shiha blamed Egyptian politicians who served “personal interests” for the current divisions within the country’s Salafist movement.