Hassan_Abu_Basha

Hassan Abu Basha

Hassan Abu Basha

Egyptian military officer and politician (1922–2005)

Hassan Abu Basha (Arabic: حسن أبو باشا, romanized: Ḥasan Abũ Bāshā; 2 December 1922 – 18 September 2005) was a major general and one of the former ministers of interior of Egypt who was in office for two years from January 1982 to July 1984.

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Early life and education

Abu Basha was born in Cairo on 2 December 1922.[1] He graduated from the police academy in 1945.[2]

Career

Abu Basha was a leading figure during the Nasser era.[3] He was a member of the Arab Socialist Union from 1962 and became part of its secret unit, the Socialist Vanguard (Arabic: al-Tanzim al-Tali‘i), which was also called the Vanguard Organization, in 1963 when the unit was established.[4] He served as deputy interior minister when Nabawi Ismail was in office under President Anwar Sadat.[5] As assistant minister, he organized operations against fundamentalists and arrested them at the end of the 1970s.[6] He also led such operations following the assassination of Anwar Sadat in October 1981.[7]

Abu Basha was appointed interior minister in January 1982 by President Hosni Mobarak, replacing Nabawi Ismail in the post.[8] Abu Basha preferred dialogue instead of coercion to deal with social and political problems.[3] His attitude towards the Islamists, including the Muslim Brotherhood, had positive consequences.[3] Abu Basha's term lasted until July 1984 when he was replaced by Ahmed Rushdi as interior minister.[3] Abu Basha's removal was unexpected, since he was considered to be one of the significant figures in the regime of Mobarak.[9] Abu Basha was appointed minister of local government in July 1984[9] and was in office until 1986.[10]

Assassination attempt

On 5 May 1987, Abu Basha survived an assassination attempt perpetrated by the Islamist militants, including Ayman Zawahiri's brother Hussein Zawahiri.[11] The attack was organized near Abu Basha's home in Cairo,[12] and unknown gunmen seriously injured Abu Basha.[13] Abu Basha underwent surgery following the attack.[14]

The terrorist group Survivors of Hell claimed the responsibility of the attack.[12] Some members of the group were arrested in August 1987.[13] The group also attempted to kill former interior minister Nabawi Ismail and an Egyptian journalist after the attack.[13]

Upon this event, Egypt broke all diplomatic ties with Iran, claiming that the group which perpetrated the attack was financially supported by Iran.[15] Hussein Zawahiri was convicted for his alleged role in the assassination attempt.[11] Yasser Borhamy was also detained for a month due to his alleged connection with the assassination attempt against Abu Basha.[16]

Books

Abu Basha published his memoirs in a book entitled Mudhukrat Hasan Abu Basha (Arabic: Memoirs of Hasan Abu Basha) in 1990.[3]

Personal life and death

Abu Basha was married and had three children, a son and two daughters.[17] He died at the age of 82 in Cairo on 18 September 2005.[2]

Awards

Abu Basha was the recipient of the Republic second class medal in 1973 and the second class merit medal in 1979.[2]

References

  1. [1]
    "Basha, Hassan Abu". Rulers. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
  2. [2]
    "Egypt's Former Interior Minister dies". Bahrain News Agency. Cairo. 19 September 2005. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  3. [3]
    Hesham Al-Awadi (2005). In Pursuit of Legitimacy: The Muslim Brothers and Mubarak, 1982-2000. London; New York: I.B. Tauris. p. 233. ISBN 978-1-85043-632-4.
  4. [4]
    Hesham Sallam (26 October 2020). "From the State of Vanguards to the House of Kofta: Reflections on Egypt's Authoritarian Impasse". Jadaliyya. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  5. [5]
    Omar Hassanein (16 June 2009). "Most Controversial Interior Minister Nabawi Ismail Passes Away". Al-Masry Al-Youm. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  6. [6]
    Anthony McDermott (2012). Egypt from Nasser to Mubarak: A Flawed Revolution. London; New York: Routledge. p. 283. ISBN 978-0-415-81116-3.
  7. [7]
    John Kifner (12 July 1987). "Islamic Fundamentalism Gains in Egypt". The New York Times. p. 1.
  8. [8]
    "The Premier-Designate Names Egyptian Cabinet". The New York Times. Cairo. UPI. 4 January 1982. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  9. [9]
    "The Opening to the Arabs Characterizes the New Egyptian Cabinet's Policy". Al Mustaqbal. 21 July 1984. Archived from the original on 8 April 2013. Retrieved 24 December 2012.
  10. [10]
    "Gunmen wound former government officials, two others". United Press International. Cairo. 6 May 1987. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  11. [11]
    Ahmed Moussa (18–24 October 2001). "Egypt's most wanted". Al Ahram Weekly. Archived from the original on 11 June 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  12. [12]
    Nachman Tal (2005). Radical Islam: In Egypt and Jordan. Brighton: Sussex Academic Press. p. 94. ISBN 978-1-84519-098-9.
  13. [13]
    Mohamed Sid-Ahmed (Winter 1987–1988). "Egypt: The Islamic Issue". Foreign Policy. 69 (69): 22–39. doi:10.2307/1148586. JSTOR 1148586.
  14. [14]
    "The World". Los Angeles Times. 7 May 1987. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  15. [15]
    John Kifner (15 May 1987). "Egypt Breaks All Diplomatic Ties With Iran". The New York Times. p. 7. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  16. [16]
    "Yasser Borhami". Ahram Online. 19 November 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  17. [17]
    "Ex-Egyptian interior minister passes away". KUNA. 18 September 2005. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
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