A jihadist group inspired by Al Qaeda based in the Egyptian Sinai peninsula claimed responsibility for a failed assassination attempt on the interior minister, a statement on Islamist forums said Sunday.
"God has allowed your brothers in Ansar Beit al-Maqdis to shatter the security organisation of the murderer Mohammed Ibrahim through a martyrdom operation," the group said in the online statement, pledging further attacks, Agence France Presse reported.
Last Thursday, a car bomb targeted the convoy of Ibrahim, Egyptian interior minister, as the official was leaving home for work, killing one person, AFP reported.
Travelling in an armoured vehicle, Ibrahim was not injured in the attack.
In the statement, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis, which has in the past claimed attacks against Israel, apologised "for not killing the tyrant", threatening to launch another attack against the official and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, AFP reported.
Ansar Beit al-Maqdis blame both government officials for killing hundreds of Islamist supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, who was removed from office on July 3.
"We vow to God to avenge all those who killed Muslims and assaulted their honour, the foremost being Sisi and Mohammed Ibrahim," the Ansar Beit al-Maqdis statement said, according to AFP.
"We call on all Muslims in Egypt to stay away from all military and interior ministry installations to preserve their lives," it added.
