Abdul Halim Moussa | |
---|---|
Minister of Interior | |
In office January 1990 – 18 April 1993 | |
President | Hosni Mubarak |
Preceded by | Zaki Badr |
Succeeded by | Hassan Al Alfi |
Personal details | |
Born | c.1930 |
Died | 19 July 2003 (aged 73) Cairo, Egypt |
Nationality | Egyptian |
Alma mater | Police Academy |
Military service | |
Rank | Major General |
Abdul Halim Moussa ( Arabic: عبد الحليم موسى; c. 1930 – 2003) was an Egyptian police major general and interior minister who was in office from 1990 to 1993.
Moussa was born around 1930. [1] He graduated from the police academy in 1954. [2]
Moussa served as a director of public security and held the rank of police major general. [3] He was named governor of the southern province of Asyut. [2] [3] He was appointed minister of interior by President Hosni Mubarak in January 1990, replacing Zaki Badr in the post. [1] [2] Moussa's appointment was commonly welcomed by the Egyptian public. [4] Unlike his successor, he adopted a conciliatory approach toward Islamic groups during his term. [1]
In December 1992, Moussa argued that there were more than 2,000 members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards in Sudan and that they were training Egyptian extremists in the camps. [5] In early April 1993 he supported the establishment of a mediation committee by the independent ulemas who opposed the violent activities of the Islamists. [6] Moussa's term lasted until 18 April 1993 when he was fired by Mubarak due to his failure in ending the violence perpetrated by Islamic insurgents [7] [8] and due to his endorsement of the ulemas' mediation committee plan. [6] The day before his dismissal Moussa stated that a dialogue had been opened towards the Islamic militants. [9] Hassan Al Alfi replaced Moussa as interior minister. [7] [8]
Moussa escaped unhurt after four assassination attempts all by the Egyptian Islamic Jihad when he was in office as interior minister. [10] The first attempt was in October 1990. [11] However, not Moussa but the parliamentary speaker Rif'at al-Mahjub was killed in the attack. [11] In the last attempt, Moussa's driver, who was a relative of the group, was killed and perpetrators apologized to the family of the driver. [10]
Zaki Badr, Moussa's successor as interior minister, accused him of corruption and wrongdoing in January 1994. [12]
Moussa was diagnosed with cancer in 2002. [2] He died of cancer at the age of 73 in Cairo on 19 July 2003. [1]