Omar Suleiman (politician)

This article is about the Egyptian politician. For other uses, see Omar Suleiman.

Omar Mahmoud Suleiman
عمر محمود سليمان
Suleiman in 2007
Vice President of Egypt
In office
29 January 2011 – 11 February 2011
PresidentHosni Mubarak
Preceded byHosni Mubarak (1981)[a]
Succeeded byMahmoud Mekki
Director of the General Intelligence Directorate
In office
22 January 1991 – 31 January 2011
PresidentHosni Mubarak
Preceded byNour El Dien Afeefy
Succeeded byMurad Muwafi
Personal details
Born(1936-07-02)2 July 1936
Qena, Egypt
Died19 July 2012(2012-07-19) (aged 76)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyIndependent
Alma materEgyptian Military Academy
M. V. Frunze Military Academy
Ain Shams University
Cairo University
Military service
AllegianceEgypt
Branch/serviceArmy
Years of service1956–1991
Rank Major General
Battles/warsNorth Yemen Civil War[1]
Six-Day War[2]
War of Attrition
October War[2]
  1. ^ Office vacant from 14 October 1981 to 29 January 2011.

Omar Mahmoud Suleiman (Arabic: عمر محمود سليمان, Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [ˈʕomɑɾ seleˈmæːn]; 2 July 1936 – 19 July 2012) was an Egyptian army general, politician, diplomat, and intelligence officer. A leading figure in Egypt's intelligence system beginning in 1986, Suleiman was appointed to the long-vacant vice presidency by President Hosni Mubarak on 29 January 2011.[3][4] On 11 February 2011, Suleiman announced Mubarak's resignation and ceased being vice president;[5] governing power was transferred to the Armed Forces Supreme Council,[6] of which Suleiman was not a member.[7] A new head of intelligence services was appointed by the ruling Supreme Council. Suleiman withdrew from the political scene and did not appear in public after announcing Mubarak's resignation.[8]

Millions of Egyptian citizens[9] involved in the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 opposed Suleiman or Mubarak remaining in power without elections taking place.[10][11] Human rights groups tied Suleiman's career to a regime marked by widespread human rights abuses,[12][13][14] and asserted that many Egyptian revolutionaries "see Suleiman as Mubarak II. However many Egyptians also saw Suleiman as a pillar of the old order who might have served as a buffer between military rule on the one hand and dominance by Islamist groups on the other."[12] Tortured victims and human rights groups charged that Suleiman oversaw the systematic use of torture on detainees and that in at least one instance he was accused of personally torturing a detainee.[15][16][17] In response to the 2011 protests, Suleiman blamed foreign influence and appealed to protestors to go home.[18]

Suleiman died at on 19 July 2012 at the Cleveland Clinic at the age of 76 of complications related to amyloidosis.[19]

  1. ^ Black, Ian (29 January 2011). "Egypt protests – as they happened". The Guardian. London.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference ajprofile was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Witte, Griff (30 January 2011). "Egyptian soldiers show solidarity with protesters, activist ElBaradei joins demonstrations". The Washington Post. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  4. ^ "Egypt Ambassador: Suleiman "De Facto Head of State" – World Watch". CBS News. 10 February 2011. Archived from the original on 12 February 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  5. ^
  6. ^ Michael, Maggie; Keath, Lee (11 February 2011). "'Egypt is Free' chants Tahrir after Mubarak quits". Yahoo. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  7. ^ "Egypt's military leadership". Al Jazeera. 11 February 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2011.
  8. ^ Haaretz: Egypt confirms assassination attempt on Suleiman
  9. ^ Al-Ahram: Egypt, after birth pangs Archived 12 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Al-Arabiya: Mubarak quits Cairo as a million march, TIME: Military Will Determine Fate of Mubarak's Exit Plan, The Guardian: Egypt protests: The feeling in Tahrir Square was one of disbelief, SFGate: Protesters march in San Francisco to support Egypt
  10. ^ Ahdaf Soueif (11 February 2011). "Egypt protests: The feeling in Tahrir Square was one of disbelief". the Guardian. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  11. ^ The Guardian: Cairo's biggest protest yet demands Mubarak's immediate departure, Al Jazeera: 'No to Suleiman, no to Shafiq', Business Week: Mubarak's Top Spy Rejected by Cairo Streets as Masses March, Al Jazeera: Politics pervade Cairo's streets, Christian Science Monitor: ElBaradei arrives at Tahrir Square for what could be a key moment, New York Times: Choice of Suleiman Likely to Please the Military, Not the Crowds
  12. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference WP was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ "What Mubarak Must Do Before He Resigns". HRW. 4 February 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  14. ^ Viscusi, Gregory; Penny, Thomas (1 February 2011). "Mubarak's Top Spy Rejected by Cairo Streets as Masses March". Business Week. Archived from the original on 3 February 2011. Retrieved 22 March 2011.
  15. ^ Admin, Moyers (22 February 1999). "Bill Moyers Journal: Michael Winship: For the US in Egypt, Blowback Is a Bitch". PBS. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  16. ^ "Egypt in Crisis: Omar Suleiman and CIA Rendition". ABC News. 1 February 2011. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
  17. ^ Lisa Hajjar. "Suleiman: The CIA's man in Cairo". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  18. ^ "Omar Suleiman". Global Post. 3 February 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
  19. ^ Northeast Ohio. "Omar Suleiman, former Egyptian spy chief and vice president, dies at Cleveland Clinic". cleveland. Retrieved 17 December 2012.