Egypt has used means other than deportation to deal with
its Islamist problem. Since coming to office, President Mubarak
has carried out a virtual war against the more militant groups.
Egypt has an extraordinary security apparatus, with infor-
mants and agents at every level of society. While the militants
have carried out successful attacks, many of their efforts have
undoubtedly been thwarted by the numerous arrests based
on information provided by Egyptian security. Human rights
groups complain about the state’s heavy-handedness against
Islamist suspects, and there are widespread reports of torture,
along with the routine detention in jail without speedy trial.
When legal action finally comes, it is often severe; scores of
convicted Islamists have been executed. The country’s reputa-
tion for human rights and civil liberties is generally poor. This
is in part because of government restrictions on freedom of
the press. But the government also makes it very difficult for
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)—including human
rights and other “watchdog” groups—to form.