Attempted assassination of Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi in Mecca
| Part of Terrorism in Egypt | |
| Date | August 2014 (plot revealed publicly in 2016) |
|---|---|
| Location | Mecca, Saudi Arabia |
| Type | Alleged bombing plot |
| Motive | Jihadist extremism (alleged) |
| Target | Abdel Fattah el-Sisi |
Members of the Islamic State–affiliated group Sinai Province attempted to assassinate Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during his Umrah pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia in 2014. The plot was publicly revealed by Egyptian prosecutors in November 2016 as part of a case involving 292 suspects accused of planning terrorist operations inside and outside Egypt.[1]
The Mecca plot
Planning
According to prosecutors, the suspects believed el-Sisi would stay at the Swissotel Makkah Clock Tower overlooking the Masjid al-Haram.[2] Members of the cell allegedly purchased materials in Mecca to assemble explosive devices and stored them on the 34th floor of the hotel.[1] The suspected ringleader, identified as Ahmed Bayoumi, reportedly coordinated logistics and surveillance.[3]
Suicide component
Investigations claimed that the wife of one of the defendants volunteered to wear a suicide belt and detonate it inside the hotel lobby to divert security forces while other members attempted the assassination.[3]
Failure of the plot
According to prosecutors, the plot did not materialize because el-Sisi did not stay in the targeted hotel.[4]
Related plot in Egypt
Authorities stated that a parallel conspiracy inside Egypt involved dismissed police officers and a dentist who allegedly planned to attack el-Sisi’s motorcade in Cairo.[5]
Arrests, trial, and sentencing
On 20 November 2016, 292 individuals were referred to a military court on charges including membership in Sinai Province and conspiring to assassinate the president.[1]
On 4 February 2019, a military court sentenced eight defendants to death and 32 to life imprisonment. Others received sentences ranging from 3 to 15 years.[6][7]
On 13 October 2021, Egypt’s High Military Appeals Court upheld life sentences for 32 defendants and reduced two sentences from life to 15 years.[8]
See also
- Sinai insurgency
- Islamic State – Sinai Province
- Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
- Terrorism in Egypt
- Mohammed bin Nayef
References
- ^ a b c "Egypt refers 292 suspects to military court for plotting Sisi assassination". Al Arabiya English. July 9, 2017. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "Court tries 32 defendants in Sisi's assassination attempt case". Egypt Today. 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "مصدر بالنيابة يكشف عن مخططين لاغتيال السيسي في السعودية ومصر". CNN Arabic. November 20, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "Court to issue verdict on 292 accused of Sisi's assassination attempt". Egypt Today. 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "Egypt: Sisi escaped two assassination plots". Al Arabiya English. November 20, 2016. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "8 defendants sentenced to death in Sisi's assassination attempt case". Egypt Today. February 4, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "Egypt hands life terms in Sisi assassination attempt case". Middle East Monitor. June 13, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
- ^ "Egypt military court upholds life sentences for 32 defendants over plot to kill President Sisi". Ahram Online. October 13, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2025.