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Egypt backs Trump's attack on the media

February 8, 2017 at 4:00 pm

Egypt has increased its support for US President Donald Trump by declaring its agreement with his claim that Western media outlets have deliberately not reported on “terrorist” attacks.

Egypt’s foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid “hailed the US administration stance” on criticising “the Western media’s coverage of some terrorist attacks around the world.”

Trump accused the media on Monday of not reporting on attacks carried out by “Islamist extremists”, but failed to provide any evidence supporting his claim.

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Abu Zeid said his statement was in relation to “the White House release of a list of 78 terror attacks [9 of which were in Egypt] which Western media ignored in a clear bias.”

Trump accused the media this week of downplaying the threat that his administration have used to justify a travel ban on seven Muslim majority countries.

“You have seen what happened in Paris and Nice. All over Europe it’s happening. It’s gotten to a point where it’s not even being reported,” Trump said.”And in many cases the very, very dishonest press doesn’t want to report it.”

On Monday, the Egyptian foreign ministry released a statement stating that the “accusations and the finger of blame were pointed at others [like Egypt] after terrorist attacks … which some Western media portrayed as a security failure on the part of the government.”

Read: Trump administration debates designating Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist group

The foreign ministry cited the Western media coverage of the downing of a Russian passenger plane in the Sinai in October 2015 that killed all 224 people on board.

Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack stating that it had smuggled a bomb on board which Russia confirmed after its investigation.

The ministry also cited coverage of a suicide bombing that killed 29 Coptic Christians at a Cairo church in December last year.

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Abu Zeid expressed hope that “the next phase will witness an essential shift in the way the international community deals with the phenomenon of terrorism.”

Trump is expected to seek better ties in Egypt-US relations following strained relations under former President Barack Obama over disagreements on President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi’s crackdown.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer confirmed last month that Trump is committed to providing military aid to Egypt.