Husayn Al-Musawi
Encyclopedia
Husayn Al-Musawi is a Lebanese Shia who founded the now-dissolved pro-Iran
ian Islamist militia Islamic Amal in 1982.
Musawi was a "chemistry teacher turned militia commander" who became the deputy head and official spokesman of the Amal movement
/party/militia, Lebanon
's largest Shi'ite movement.
On June 21, 1982 he defected from Amal to start the Islamic Amal splinter group, operating out of Baalbek
, Lebanon. Musawi disapproved of Amal leader Nabih Berri
's participation in the first session of the six-man Lebanese National Salvation Committee, his acceptance of "U.S. diplomatic efforts to end the Israeli siege of West Beirut
, which was also Amal's strong hold," and his opposition to the pledging of pan-Islamic allegiance by Amal to Iranian Revolutionary Islamist leader Ayatollah Khomeini.
Under his leadership, Islamic Amal captured a Lebanese Gendarmerie
barracks on November 21, 1982, during the Lebanese Civil War
. Overpowering the Gendarmerie under the command of Sheikh Abdullah, he then turned it over to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Musawi was a strong supporter of Iran. Musawi's pro-Iranian position was in part a reflection of having been trained in Iran and having been one of the elite protégés of Mostafa Chamran
, the Iranian Defense Minister who had worked in Lebanon with Amal before the Shah's overthrow.
Musawi was also a prominent member of Hezbollah (where he served on the consultative council.)
When then French and American MNF peacekeeping force was attacked
by suicide bombers killing over 300 he denied responsibility but expressed his admiration
He is also reported to have been involved in the kidnapping of foreigners in Lebanon during the Lebanon Hostage Crisis
, holding the victims in the village of Ras al-Ein, in the Beqaa Valley
of East Lebanon.
In 1986 Iranian officials pressured Husayn Al-Musawi to dissolve Islamic Amal. He refused. Others date Islamic Amal being subsumed by Hezbollah much earlier. Robin Wright
says the two groups were "effectively becoming one under the Hizbollah label," by August 1983 when they infiltrate West Beirut's poor Shi'ite suburbs, while by "by late 1984" Hezbollah "had absorbed" Islamic Amal along with "all the known major extremist groups."
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 Islamist militia Islamic Amal in 1982.
Musawi was a "chemistry teacher turned militia commander" who became the deputy head and official spokesman of the Amal movement
Amal Movement
Amal Movement is short for the Lebanese Resistance Detachments the acronym for which, in Arabic, is "amal", meaning "hope."Amal was founded in 1975 as the militia wing of the Movement of the Disinherited, a Shi'a political movement founded by Musa...
/party/militia, 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...
's largest Shi'ite movement.
On June 21, 1982 he defected from Amal to start the Islamic Amal splinter group, operating out of Baalbek
Baalbek
Baalbek is a town in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude , situated east of the Litani River. It is famous for its exquisitely detailed yet monumentally scaled temple ruins of the Roman period, when Baalbek, then known as Heliopolis, was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire...
, Lebanon. Musawi disapproved of Amal leader Nabih Berri
Nabih Berri
Nabih Berri is the Speaker of the Parliament of Lebanon. He heads the mostly Shi'a Amal Movement.-Biography:He was born in Bo, Sierra Leone to Lebanese parents. He went to school in Tebnine and Ain Ebel in southern Lebanon and later studied at the Makassed and the Ecole de la Sagesse in Beirut...
's participation in the first session of the six-man Lebanese National Salvation Committee, his acceptance of "U.S. diplomatic efforts to end the Israeli siege of West Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, which was also Amal's strong hold," and his opposition to the pledging of pan-Islamic allegiance by Amal to Iranian Revolutionary Islamist leader Ayatollah Khomeini.
Under his leadership, Islamic Amal captured a Lebanese Gendarmerie
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
barracks on November 21, 1982, during the 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...
. Overpowering the Gendarmerie under the command of Sheikh Abdullah, he then turned it over to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
Musawi was a strong supporter of Iran. Musawi's pro-Iranian position was in part a reflection of having been trained in Iran and having been one of the elite protégés of Mostafa Chamran
Mostafa Chamran
Mostafa Chamran Savei was an Iranian scientist who served as first Defence Minister of post-revolutionary Iran and as member of parliament, as well as commander of paramilitary volunteers in Iran–Iraq War. He was killed during the war...
, the Iranian Defense Minister who had worked in Lebanon with Amal before the Shah's overthrow.
We are her [Iran's] children. We are seeking to formulate an Islamic society which in the final analysis will produce an Islamic state. ... The Islamic revolution will march to liberate Palestine and Jerusalem, and the Islamic state will then spread its authority over the region of which Lebanon is only a part.`
Musawi was also a prominent member of Hezbollah (where he served on the consultative council.)
When then French and American MNF peacekeeping force was attacked
1983 Beirut barracks bombing
The Beirut Barracks Bombing occurred during the Lebanese Civil War, when two truck bombs struck separate buildings housing United States and French military forces—members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon—killing 299 American and French servicemen...
by suicide bombers killing over 300 he denied responsibility but expressed his admiration
"I salute this good act, and I consider it a good deed and a legitimate right, and I bow to the spirits of the martyrs who carried out this operation"
He is also reported to have been involved in the kidnapping of foreigners in Lebanon during the Lebanon Hostage Crisis
Lebanon hostage crisis
The Lebanon hostage crisis refers to the systematic kidnapping in Lebanon of 96 foreign hostages of 21 national origins – mostly American and western European – between 1982 and 1992...
, holding the victims in the village of Ras al-Ein, 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...
of East Lebanon.
In 1986 Iranian officials pressured Husayn Al-Musawi to dissolve Islamic Amal. He refused. Others date Islamic Amal being subsumed by Hezbollah much earlier. Robin Wright
Robin Wright (author)
Robin B. Wright is an American foreign affairs analyst, and an award-winning journalist and author.A graduate of the University of Michigan, she lives in Washington D.C.-Career:...
says the two groups were "effectively becoming one under the Hizbollah label," by August 1983 when they infiltrate West Beirut's poor Shi'ite suburbs, while by "by late 1984" Hezbollah "had absorbed" Islamic Amal along with "all the known major extremist groups."