Abbas al-Musawi
Encyclopedia
Abbas al-Musawi was an influential Shia cleric and co-founder and Secretary General of Hezbollah. He was killed by Israeli forces
in 1992.
Al-Musawi was born in the village of al-Nabi Shayth
in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon
.
Al-Musawi spent eight years studying theology in a religious school in al-Najaf, Iraq
, where he was deeply influenced by the views of Iran
ian Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini
. He returned to Lebanon in 1978 and in 1982 along with Subhi al-Tufayli spearheaded the formation of Hezbollah movement and militia in the Beqaa Valley
, one of the three major areas of Shia population in Lebanon. From 1983-85 he is reported to have served as operational head of the Hezbollah Special Security Apparatus and from late-1985 until April 1988 was head of Hezbollah's military wing, the Islamic Resistance.
According to some reports, al-Musawi was responsible for the abduction of Lt. Col William Higgins
while commander of Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance, (military wing)., and
By 1991 The Hezbollah had entered a new era with the end of the both the Iran–Iraq War and Lebanese Civil War
, the Ta'if Agreement and the release of the Kuwait 17
bombers. A new leader was thought to be needed to facilitate the release of the Western hostages held by Hezbollah and more importantly to shift Hezbollah's focus to resistance activity against Israel.
In May 1991, Hezbollah chose al-Musawi as its secretary-general
. As a former head of both the Security Apparatus (considered the instigator of hostage taking) and the military wing of Hezbollah, al-Musawi was well qualified.
Al-Musawi replaced the non-flexible Sheikh Subhi al-Tufayli
and promised Hezbollah would "wipe out every trace of Israel in Palestine." He described Israel as "the cancer of the Middle East." Al-Musawi also promised to "intensify [Hezbollah] military, political and popular action in order to undermine the peace-talks."
s attacked a motorcade in southern Lebanon, killing al-Musawi, his wife, son, and four others. Israel said the attack had been planned as an assassination attempt. In retaliation, the Islamic Jihad Organization
carried out the Israeli Embassy attack in Buenos Aires
. Al-Musawi was succeeded as Secretary General of Hezbollah by Hassan Nasrallah
.
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
in 1992.
Al-Musawi was born in the village of al-Nabi Shayth
Al-Nabi Shayth
Al-Nabi Shayth is a village in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. "Al-Nabi Shayth" is an Arabic word, it means "Seth the prophet". The village was called by that name because it contains the burial site of Seth son of Adam. A mosque was built on the burial site and it contains the grave of Seth inside...
in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
Al-Musawi spent eight years studying theology in a religious school in al-Najaf, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, where he was deeply influenced by the views of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian Ayatollah
Ayatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Ruhollah Khomeini
Ruhollah Khomeini
Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
. He returned to Lebanon in 1978 and in 1982 along with Subhi al-Tufayli spearheaded the formation of Hezbollah movement and militia in the Beqaa Valley
Beqaa Valley
The Beqaa Valley is a fertile valley in east Lebanon. For the Romans, the Beqaa Valley was a major agricultural source, and today it remains Lebanon’s most important farming region...
, one of the three major areas of Shia population in Lebanon. From 1983-85 he is reported to have served as operational head of the Hezbollah Special Security Apparatus and from late-1985 until April 1988 was head of Hezbollah's military wing, the Islamic Resistance.
According to some reports, al-Musawi was responsible for the abduction of Lt. Col William Higgins
William R. Higgins
William Richard "Rich" Higgins was a United States Marine Corps colonel who was captured in 1988 while serving on a United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. He was held hostage, tortured and eventually murdered by his captors.-Biography:William Higgins was born in Danville, Kentucky on...
while commander of Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance, (military wing)., and
By 1991 The Hezbollah had entered a new era with the end of the both the Iran–Iraq War and Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
, the Ta'if Agreement and the release of the Kuwait 17
1983 Kuwait bombings
The 1983 Kuwait bombings were attacks on six key foreign and Kuwaiti installations on December 12, 1983, two months after the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing. The 90-minute coordinated attack on two embassies, the country's main airport and petro-chemical plant, was more notable for the damage it was...
bombers. A new leader was thought to be needed to facilitate the release of the Western hostages held by Hezbollah and more importantly to shift Hezbollah's focus to resistance activity against Israel.
In May 1991, Hezbollah chose al-Musawi as its secretary-general
Secretary-General
-International intergovernmental organizations:-International nongovernmental organizations:-Sports governing bodies:...
. As a former head of both the Security Apparatus (considered the instigator of hostage taking) and the military wing of Hezbollah, al-Musawi was well qualified.
Al-Musawi replaced the non-flexible Sheikh Subhi al-Tufayli
Subhi al-Tufayli
Sheikh Subhi al-Tufayli is a former secretary-general of Hezbollah. Tufayli was an Islamist ideologue and close follower of Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini....
and promised Hezbollah would "wipe out every trace of Israel in Palestine." He described Israel as "the cancer of the Middle East." Al-Musawi also promised to "intensify [Hezbollah] military, political and popular action in order to undermine the peace-talks."
Killing
On February 16, 1992, Israeli Apache helicopterHelicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
s attacked a motorcade in southern Lebanon, killing al-Musawi, his wife, son, and four others. Israel said the attack had been planned as an assassination attempt. In retaliation, the Islamic Jihad Organization
Islamic Jihad Organization
The Islamic Jihad Organization – IJO or Organisation du Jihad Islamique in French, but best known as ‘Islamic Jihad’ for short, was a fundamentalist Shia group known for its activities in the 1980s during the Lebanese Civil War...
carried out the Israeli Embassy attack in Buenos Aires
Israeli Embassy attack in Buenos Aires
The attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires was a bomb attack on building of the Israeli embassy of Argentina located in Buenos Aires which was carried out on March 17, 1992. 29 civilians were killed in the attack and 242 additional civilians were injured.- The attack :On March 17, 1992...
. Al-Musawi was succeeded as Secretary General of Hezbollah by Hassan Nasrallah
Hassan Nasrallah
Hasan Nasrallah, became the third Secretary General of the Lebanese political and paramilitary organization Hezbollah after Israel assassinated the previous leader, Abbas al-Musawi, in 1992. Hezbollah in its entirety is considered a terrorist organization by The United States, the Netherlands,...
.
External links
- Abbas al-Musawi @ The Islamic Counterterrorism Institute