Omar Suleiman (politician)

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.