Firebrand cleric, Ghoneim, desperate for refuge

Aya Ezz

Hard line Egyptian preacher, Wagdi Ghoneim, sentenced to death in Egypt for founding a terrorist cell, has recently posted a video, in which he tries to win over the Muslim Brotherhood.

This comes hard on the heels of a vicious campaign he launched against the organization for not inviting him to a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Ghoneim said in the video that the Brotherhood had already intervened to resolve his crisis.

Some officials, he added, had contacted him to find out why Turkish authorities had refused to grant him residence in Turkey or the Turkish citizenship.

“Owning an apartment in Istanbul could not help me obtain the Turkish citizenship,” Ghoneim said in the video.

He said he has been living in Turkey for nine years now, even without possessing a residence permit or citizenship.

He expressed fears that he would be arrested or deported any time.

“I look for another country where I can settle and get protection,” Ghoneim said.

Soothing Brotherhood

It is likely that Ghoneim is trying to take the edge off the Brotherhood, after feeling lonely and isolated.

He most probably wants to get support and protection from the group, to which he belongs, especially with its influence and relations in some countries.

Ghoneim may also be trying to gratify the group because he wants to regain his popularity and influence among its members.

This popularity was negatively affected by media campaigns against him, ones that divulged the extremist brand of Islam he harbours.

Some people say that Ghoneim also wants to clear himself of the charges against him, which include founding a terrorist cell, joining a group loyal to al-Qaeda, and inciting violence and murder.

Expected penalties

A staunch backer of the Brotherhood, Ghoneim has been away from Egypt since 2013.

He is facing punishment in his home country for his involvement in terrorism-related cases.

An Egyptian court had sentenced Ghoneim to death in absentia for founding a terrorist group loyal to al-Qaeda in Syria.

Also sentenced to death in the same case are two Brotherhood leaders.

Ghoneim cannot appeal the verdict, unless he turns himself in or is arrested.

Another Egyptian court sentenced him to life in prison in absentia for inciting murder, violence and rioting in the events of the Rabaa al-Adawiya armed sit-in.

The Cairo Criminal Court issued a sentence to include Ghoneim and four others on the terrorism lists for five years.

This inclusion resulted in penalties, such as freezing his assets, a travel ban against him, and the cancellation of his passport and civil rights.