New Delhi, Oct 17 (NationPress) Highlighting Egypt's successful initiatives in combating terrorism, Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty asserted on Friday that there exists significant potential for bolstering cooperation with India in the realm of counterterrorism.

"We have effectively eliminated terrorism in Egypt due to our comprehensive strategy, which encompasses not only the security aspect but also the socioeconomic dimension, including cutting off funding and, most importantly, combating extremist ideologies through our religious institutions. This message was conveyed to our Indian partners and the parliamentary delegation that visited after the Pahalgam terror attack, which I personally received. Thus, we have immense potential to enhance our collaboration in line with the shared vision of President Sisi and Prime Minister Modi, as articulated in our strategic partnership," Abdelatty remarked during a discussion with select journalists in New Delhi.

During his inaugural visit to India as Foreign Minister, Abdelatty participated in the First India-Egypt Strategic Dialogue alongside External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday evening.

The visiting minister emphasized that there is no justification for any escalation regarding freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden, and the Red Sea.

He pointed out that the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) has been classified as a terrorist organization for nearly a decade.

"We issued warnings to all nations—European, Western, and Asian—urging them to exercise caution. The MB serves as the primary umbrella for all terrorist factions. Since its formation in 1928, it has been the foundation of various extremist elements. Regrettably, many countries disregarded our warnings and played with fire, suffering the consequences. Even now, certain nations, particularly in Europe, continue to harbor its members under the pretext of freedom of expression. This is absurd, as they incite violence and killings, and we have informed everyone about this," stated the Egyptian Foreign Minister.

"We have successfully addressed their challenges. Furthermore, it is misguided for the West to differentiate between so-called 'moderate extremists' and 'violent extremists.' This distinction is flawed. All forms of extremism stem from the same ideas. Therefore, our comprehensive approach has proven to be the most effective. Terrorism cannot be eradicated solely through security measures; it must be accompanied by socioeconomic development and job creation to eliminate the recruitment environment," he added.

Other nations, including Bahrain, Austria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and France, have also made considerable efforts to investigate and combat the Muslim Brotherhood and its affiliates.

The visiting Foreign Minister also emphasized the role of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, a prominent university-mosque in Cairo renowned as a leading center of religious education in the Muslim world, which plays a crucial intellectual role in Egypt and beyond.

"While it is easy to eliminate a terrorist, there are individuals behind them who create and train many more. Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, the most distinguished religious institution in the Islamic world, has an effective mechanism called the Al-Azhar Al-Sharif Observatory. This observatory comprises around 300 young men and women proficient in several foreign languages, including 12, who engage with youth globally. They correct misconceptions about concepts like jihad, emphasizing that jihad means self-purification, drawing closer to God, and being a good Muslim, not killing others. This initiative is highly effective, and we are fully prepared to support it," concluded Abdelatty.