Egypt’s new Islamist president on Friday, October 5 pledged to ease up on the crackdown in the country’s restive Sinai Peninsula and not pursue hundreds of fugitives from the lawless region that has seen a surge in militancy and cross-border attacks on Israel, the Associated Press reported. Mohammed Morsi’s comments came during a visit to the northern Sinai city of el-Arish, where he prayed at its main mosque and met with tribal leaders and top ultraconservative Salafi clerics. Speaking before tribal elders, Morsi assured them that “sons of Sinai” will not be pursued and that that the judiciary would review many of the cases from the region. Since his election in late June, Morsi has ordered the release of dozens of top Islamic militant leaders sentenced to life imprisonment or given death sentences on terrorism-related charges, including those convicted of assassination attempts against Mubarak.