The so called group of Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis, which sprouted in 2011 after the Egyptian uprisings that unseated Hosny Mubarak, claims credit for one if its most spectacular attacks - a bombing in September 2013 that targeted Interior Minister Mohamed Ibrahim's convoy but did not harm him.

The terrorist designation froze the organization's assets in the United States or under the control of US persons, and made it a crime to support or have any transactions with the group.

The State Department listed eight other incidents, including the July 2012 attack on a Sinai pipeline that exports gas to Israel and the downing of a military helicopter in a missile attack in January 2014.

The Egyptian foreign ministry also welcome the US government initiative. The ministry also called for the Western allies to play same act over the Muslim Brotherhood group especially within Europe.

Militants intensified their attacks on Egyptian security forces in Sinai after the army's overthrow of president Mohammed Morsi, leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, in July 2013.

NJF/NJF