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SOUTHERN SHUNEH, Jordan (AP) — Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who has led a massive ongoing crackdown on Islamists, said on Friday that the fight against extremism in the region must go hand-in-hand with pursuing greater "freedom, equality and justice."
El-Sissi spoke at a regional World Economic Forum conference in Jordan.
He says extremism increases because of "desperation, regression of values of justice."
Egypt has waged a sweeping crackdown against Islamists since el-Sissi, then the army chief, led the overthrow of elected Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 amid massive protests demanding the president's removal.
Since then Egyptian security forces have killed hundreds of Islamists in street clashes and jailed thousands. Egyptian courts have handed down a series of mass death sentences that have been condemned by rights groups.
In his speech, el-Sissi urged governments to protect their youth from falling into the hands of extremists and warned of the use of technology and social media in recruitment.
"Efforts should be made to prevent the misuse of modern technology in disseminating extremist thought," he said.
El-Sissi also announced that Egypt will host the 2016 World Economic Forum in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
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