Isis Egypt threat al-Sisi
IBTimes UK

The Islamic State (Isis) in Libya has released a video showing an Egyptian militant threatening Egypt's president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and engaging in a chilling drive-by shooting in the Libyan streets.

The video, produced by the "Barqah province" - a division of IS in Libya - features a black-clad masked militant holding an AK-47 and addressing directly Sisi and the Libyan newly-nominated army general Kahlifa Haftar.

"Where are the previous Egyptian dictators and wrongdoers like you. Where is the Pharaoh, where is Gaddafi [former Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi]. God has destroyed them and the people that follow their lead," he says, raising the finger.

"The prophet said the Caliph will be from the Quraysh tribe [tribe that controlled Mecca and descended from Ishmael. Prophet Mohammed was from this tribe]," he continues. "I call on young people to rebel and join the IS fight. It is a duty on young men to join the cause against tyrants and wrongdoers.

"Muslim youth everywhere, you have no excuse in front of God not to join this fight," he concludes.

The clip then continues with IS militants going on a shooting rampage while driving in the streets of a Libyan town, with the IS jihadist anthem Salil el-Sawarim.

Isis Egypt drive-by shooting
IBTimes UK

"The video is the latest of a broader campaign by IS in Libya meant to promote its foreign fighters. Latest videos showed a Saudi, a Mauritanian, a Tunisian and so on," Michael Horowitz, senior analyst at geopolitical risk consultancy Max Security Solutions, told IBTimes UK.

The video is part of a broader effort by the Islamic State to drag Egypt into a full scale war in Libya
- Michael Horowitz, senior analyst at the geopolitical risk consultancy Max Security Solutions

"The Islamic State is seeking to promote Libya as a land of "hijra" (the religious immigration) and the killing of the Christians on beach near Sirte marked the beginning of a broader 'media campaign' meant to attract foreign fighters in Libya and legitimize the group's fight in the country," Horowitz continued.

Egypt bombed IS targets in their Libyan base of Derna following the jihadist group's release of a video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians.

The airstrikes, hitting locations and weapons stockpiles belonging to IS in Libya, killed about 50 militants and were conducted in coordination with the internationally-recognised Libyan government, which set up in the city of Tobruk after losing control of Tripoli.

"The video is part of a broader effort by the Islamic State to drag Egypt into a full scale war in Libya," Horowitz said. "The Islamic State in Libya is interested in creating further chaos, from which it grows, and knows that a foreign intervention will eventually antagonise part of the Libyan public."

Libya has been in turmoil ever since the removal of Muammar Gaddafi from power. The struggle for power currently includes forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar - a rogue general who has launched a campaign against jihadi groups with the backing of Libya's frail government - two rival governments and several Islamist militias.