Islamist "Morality Police" to Train Volunteers in Using Electric Batons

A controversial hardliner group in Egypt announces that it purchased 1000 tazers to help its cadre defend themselves as they 'promote virtue' on the country's streets.

The self-proclaimed islamist "Morality Police" announced on its new official Facebook page that it has acquired 1,000 tazers to be distributed to volunteers who will promote "virtue" and combat "vice" in the Egyptian street.

The "Morality Police", which models itself on a similar group in Saudi Arabia that monitors citizens social behaviour, added in its announcement that these electric shocks batons will help in self-defence against any possible attacks on volunteers, adding that volunteers would be instructed to use the tazers only in "extremely necessary" situations.

The Facebook  page announced that the first field training session for volunteers will be on Thursday evening in El-Mandara neighbourhood in Alexandria.

Meanwhile, Suez Port authorities announced last week that they foiled an attempt to smuggle in 1,000 tazers while it was not clear who the shipment was intended to reach.

Islamist and organised Salafist forces such as the Al-Nour Party have distanced themselves from the "Morality Police" group, which has so far only operated in cyberspace.

[Developed in partnership with Ahram Online.]