The Threat of Counterterrorism Legislation

This briefing from the Institute for Security Studies examines the risks associated with the development of counterterrorism legislation in Egypt, arguing that such laws may be used to target political opposition and undermine political reform rather than effectively combating terrorism.

• There is significant concern that Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's new counterterrorism legislation will serve as a replacement for the state of emergency in place since 1981, thereby limiting the effectiveness of political reforms initiated since 2005.
• The use of counterterrorism laws against political opposition groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, can be counterproductive if the motivation for domestic terrorism is rooted in political marginalisation, a lack of political legitimacy, and the use of security forces to protect the regime.
• An effective anti-terrorism strategy requires a holistic approach that goes beyond legislation to address underlying causes of terrorism and ensure that security forces operate within the framework of the law and the constitution.
• Short-term indiscriminate repression may appear effective but can provide legitimacy to the groups the government is attempting to counter in the medium to long term.

APA

Botha, A. (2007). The Threat of Counterterrorism Legislation. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/27-feb-2007-iss-today-the-threat-of-counterterrorism-legislation

Chicago

Botha, Anneli. The Threat of Counterterrorism Legislation. Institute for Security Studies, 2007. https://issafrica.org/27-feb-2007-iss-today-the-threat-of-counterterrorism-legislation.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Botha |first1=Anneli |title=The Threat of Counterterrorism Legislation |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=27 February 2007 |url=https://issafrica.org/27-feb-2007-iss-today-the-threat-of-counterterrorism-legislation |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{botha2007threat, author = {Botha, Anneli}, title = {{The Threat of Counterterrorism Legislation}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2007}, month = feb, url = {https://issafrica.org/27-feb-2007-iss-today-the-threat-of-counterterrorism-legislation}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }