Terrorism in Egypt has a long history and for decades after independence proved a key existential challenge to the conservative power elites and bureaucratic-military oligarchy that steer the affairs of statecraft in the country. Egypt’s experience of terrorism is deepened by the existence of the Muslim Brotherhood that actively deploys acts of terrorism in the quest for power and relevance alongside the Al-Qaeda and Islamic State. This paper traces the evolutionary trend religious extremism and terrorism in Egypt, linking it to initial resistance to colonialism and westernisation and colonialism in the Middle East. It also analyses the effectiveness and sustainability of policies and strategies adopted by various administrations and regimes towards the counterterrorism and the prevention and counter violent extremism (CT/PCVE) and concludes that the deep-rooted division in socio-cultural and religious orientation in Egypt and the high stakes in politics interacts to sustain the resort to terrorism in pursuit in the country.