The Threat of Counterterrorism Legislation

The briefing examines the risks associated with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's development of counterterrorism legislation, warning that such laws may serve as a replacement for the state of emergency in place since 1981 to suppress political opposition, specifically the Muslim Brotherhood. It argues that legislation alone is not an effective shield against terrorism and advocates for a holistic approach that includes accountability, adherence to the constitution, and the mitigation of political marginalization to avoid providing legitimacy to terrorists.

• There is a significant risk that new counterterrorism legislation in Egypt will be used to target political opposition and replace the state of emergency that has existed since 1981, thereby undermining political reform efforts.
• The use of counterterrorism laws against political opposition can be counterproductive, as domestic terrorism is often linked to political marginalisation, a lack of political legitimacy, and the use of security forces to protect the regime rather than the public.
• An effective anti-terrorism strategy requires a holistic approach beyond legislation, which must include upholding the rule of law, ensuring government accountability, and addressing the underlying causes of terrorism to isolate terrorists from support bases.
• Short-term indiscriminate repression by governments may appear effective but often provides long-term legitimacy to the groups the government is attempting to counter.

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} }