A car bomb targeting Egyptian forces working to uproot terrorist infrastructure in the northern Sinai Peninsula killed four ysterday, a day after a roadside bomb wounded four army soldiers. The violence marks the latest efforts by jihadist groups operating in the area – many of which are linked to Al Qaeda – to push back against the military’s efforts to stabilize the Peninsula.

Last week one of Sinai based terror groups threatened to killany residents who aided Egyptian security forces.

The State Department had earlier this week issued another round of designations targeting such groups, and labeleing the Muhammad Jamal Network and Muhammad Jamal as terrorists. Jamal is a long time associate and close follower of Ayman al-Zawahiri, the current emir of Al Qaeda. Letters that Jamal has written to al-Zawahiri indicate that he is closely tied to the global terror organization:

Jamal writes that his post-revolution operations extend from the Sinai to Libya and into Mali. Jamal explains that he has established “solid forces from the cadres we trust here and an advanced base outside Egypt in Libya to take advantage of the conditions in Libya after the revolution.” This was done “in order to buy weapons and also attract elements not known in Egypt.”

Jamal explains that he formed “groups for us inside Sinai.” Al Qaeda operatives and groups expressing their affinity for al Qaeda are known to operate in the Sinai. Osama bin Laden’s former doctor reportedly serves as the emir of Al Qaeda in the Sinai Peninsula.

The operations, especially the acquisition of weapons, are very costly, Jamal writes. And he asks Zawahiri for additional funds, noting that he has already received some financing from al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Jamal also claims to have been a “teacher” in 1996 for the jihadists who went on to become AQAP’s senior leaders.

[Photo: Egyptian Army Spox / Facebook]