Fearing His Own Generals, Sisi Seeks Assistance from ‘Israel’ to Track the Dark Web

Since coming to power through a military coup in 2013, the head of the Egyptian regime, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, has been seeking the latest surveillance technologies, prioritizing the development of intelligence sectors to secure his regime. Recently, his administration has shown interest in the dark web.

Having a deep intelligence background and facing numerous enemies within and outside his regime, Sisi entrusted the leadership of the General Intelligence Service to his loyal lieutenant, Major General Abbas Kamel, even appointing his eldest son, Mahmoud, to a senior position within the agency.

The dark web, also known as the Darknet, is the hidden massive iceberg of the internet, which has always raised concerns for governments, including the Egyptian regime.

 

A New Deal

On June 30, 2023, the Israeli company, Bler, succeeded in selling its Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) platform, including dark web tracking capabilities, to Egypt’s General Intelligence Technical Research Department (TRD).

This platform, named Webint Center, provides extensive capabilities beyond social network monitoring, enabling geolocation targeting using data from social networks and an avatar management system.

The TRD is a secretive unit within Egypt’s intelligence apparatus, responsible for purchasing and utilizing high-precision eavesdropping and espionage equipment. Established during the rule of ousted President Hosni Mubarak, it operates independently and directly reports to the president.

Given its sensitive and crucial role within Sisi’s security and intelligence infrastructure, the TRD has continued its activities unaffected by the events of the January 25, 2011 revolution and Mubarak’s fall.

This personalized intelligence agency primarily focuses on spying on government employees and potential adversaries.

The Israeli company’s contract with this specific department indicates the unique nature of its work, which revolves around tracking dark web activities, differentiating it from other general intelligence functions.

The company’s choice to collaborate with this particular unit aligns with its mandate and essential role within the Sisi regime’s security apparatus. Thus, it was sought after to monitor dark web activities, offering valuable insights into the Egyptian government’s intelligence operations.

 

The Hidden World

To comprehend the reasons behind Egypt’s focus on monitoring dark web activities, we must first explore the nature of this hidden realm.

The internet is divided into three sections: The first represents the conventional surface web we all use through regular search engines, accounting for only 0.03% of internet data.

The second section is known as the deep web, encompassing governmental information, academic and corporate databases, banking services, TV and radio broadcasts, as well as much of the content in secure emails—this part is legal and not in violation of any laws.

The third and most critical section is the dark web, which constitutes the majority of internet content and cannot be accessed through ordinary means. It provides users with unparalleled privacy, shielded from any surveillance.

Within the dark web, data and information are exchanged secretly among members, hidden from the view of ordinary users.

It serves as a refuge for numerous intelligence and criminal activities, including all aspects of cybercrime.

The term “dark web” emerged in 2009 and became associated with electronic piracy.

However, there is another side to the users of this network. Some operate within it to keep their databases and information hidden from search engines by encrypting these sites and employing special algorithms to evade easy detection.

This is fundamental for security and military agencies, as well as political leaders during election campaigns, ensuring confidentiality for specific institutions and companies.

Even major media organizations like the BBC and newspapers like The Guardian and The New York Times have websites on the dark web, utilizing them to thwart hacking attempts and avoid surveillance from Russian authorities during the Ukraine conflict.

 

Continued Concerns

Ahmed Rady, a political science researcher at Aydin University in Turkiye, commented on the reasons behind President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his regime’s quest to acquire sophisticated spy and tracking programs for monitoring the dark web.

Rady stated, “As a military security system, Sisi’s top priority is to secure himself from any potential threat, and in doing so, he aligns with the devil.”

In the past, he did so by purchasing a series of Israeli programs for tracking the dark web.

Years ago, he acquired the Israeli Pegasus surveillance and tracking program.

The Egyptian researcher further added that “Sisi’s security apparatus prioritizes animosity towards opposition and Islamists, but they are perceived as the least threatening.”

Rady continued, “What Sisi genuinely fears are hidden enemies within his own system, such as army officers and general intelligence personnel, as they possess the capability to influence and potentially stage a coup or betrayal.”

He explained, “Perhaps this is precisely why he acquired the dark web tracking program, as entities like the Technical Research Department know very well that denizens of that realm are not ordinary individuals and have goals surpassing traditional conspiracies.”

Sisi wants to safeguard himself from all directions and leaves no room for being in hazardous conditions, which is natural for an intelligence mindset that distrusts everyone, much like Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, as per the researcher’s assessment.

Sisi’s strategy to possess tracking, spy programs, and enter the world of the dark web is concurrent with reports exposing his continuous anxieties.

On June 15, 2023, The Economist published a report on the current phase of Sisi’s rule, stating that he never trusts his generals and regularly assesses their functions, even curbing the ambitions of close associates like Mahmoud Hegazy, the former head of intelligence, who is also his son-in-law’s father.

The academician Robert Springborg, a former professor of National Security Affairs at the United States Naval Postgraduate School, wrote an article for the Middle East Eye on June 28, 2023, describing Sisi’s rule as a despotic military monarchical model termed “military sultanism.”

Springborg said that Egypt is now governed by military sultanism, a blend of a unified military playing a role in politics and the economy.

However, he acknowledged that Sisi’s intelligence background has “prepared him uniquely well to play the sultanistic presidential role,” particularly in securing and protecting himself.

It is difficult for Sisi to face the same risks of attempted coups as previous Egyptian presidents (Gamal Abdel Nasser and Anwar Sadat) since he scrutinizes the tracking of army units and individuals, exercising strict control over them and not allowing any room for dissent or rebellion, according to Springborg’s estimation.

Sisi fears for his life, and thus he relentlessly strengthens his personal authority, evident in the ongoing transformations within the senior ranks of the army.

Therefore, the regime’s interest in the dark web aligns with President Sisi’s governing approach, enhancing his ironclad and extensive security grip.