Showqi Al-Islambouli
Encyclopedia
An Egyptian militant overshadowed by the infamy of his older brother Khalid
, who was the assassin of Anwar Sadat
, Ahmed Showqi Al-Islambouli was one of the key members of the World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders and based in Peshawar
during the 1990s.
Islambouli organised the first teams of Egyptian mujahideen
entering Afghanistan to battle the Soviet invasion, and by 1983 he had established a network smuggling people and weapons through Karachi, Pakistan and Egypt that still functioned towards the dawn of the War on Terror
in 2001.
In late May 1995, Hassan al-Turabi
met with al-Zawahiri to discuss the future of the Vanguards of Conquest; now to operate solely out of Egypt. al-Zawahiri and Mustafa Hamzah organised a meeting in Ferney-Voltaire
on the French-Swiss border, attended by a colleague of Tal'at Fu'ad Qasim
, an associate of Showqi Al-Islambouli and the son of Said Ramadan
. The group decided to focus their efforts on Addis Ababa
, and that their veteran members would come together under the leadership of Islambouli.
Al-Islambouli came close to assassinating the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
on June 22, 1995 on the way from Addis Ababa International Airport to an African summit in the city
. Showqi and his associates opened fire on the armor-plated limousine destroying most of the escort vehicles. However, Mubarak was saved by the skills of his chauffeur, who U-turned the damaged limousine and raced back to the airport where the presidential plane was waiting with running engines.
Over the winter of 1996/1997, al-Islambouli was commanding a team of al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya
members, and allocated them to travel to Somalia to bolster the forces of the Islamic Liberation Party.
Khalid Islambouli
Khalid Ahmed Showky Al-Islambouli was an Egyptian army officer who planned and participated in the assassination of Egypt's third president, Anwar Sadat, during the annual 6th October victory parade on 6 October 1981...
, who was the assassin of Anwar Sadat
Anwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981...
, Ahmed Showqi Al-Islambouli was one of the key members of the World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders and based in Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
during the 1990s.
Islambouli organised the first teams of Egyptian mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
entering Afghanistan to battle the Soviet invasion, and by 1983 he had established a network smuggling people and weapons through Karachi, Pakistan and Egypt that still functioned towards the dawn of the War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
in 2001.
In late May 1995, Hassan al-Turabi
Hassan al-Turabi
Dr. Hassan 'Abd Allah al-Turabi , commonly called Hassan al-Turabi , is a religious and Islamist political leader in Sudan, who may have been instrumental in institutionalizing sharia in the northern part of the...
met with al-Zawahiri to discuss the future of the Vanguards of Conquest; now to operate solely out of Egypt. al-Zawahiri and Mustafa Hamzah organised a meeting in Ferney-Voltaire
Ferney-Voltaire
Ferney-Voltaire is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France.It lies between the Jura mountains and the Swiss border and forms part of the metropolitan area of Geneva.-History:...
on the French-Swiss border, attended by a colleague of Tal'at Fu'ad Qasim
Tal'at Fu'ad Qasim
Tal'at Fu'ad Qasim was the leader of Egypt's militant Gama'a Islamiyya organization until he obtained political asylum in Denmark. He was executed in secret in 1995, following the first modern "extraordinary rendition" at the hands of U.S...
, an associate of Showqi Al-Islambouli and the son of Said Ramadan
Said Ramadan
Said Ramadan was the son-in-law of Hassan al-Banna, founder of the Muslim Brotherhood. Said Ramadan was a major figure in that organization and was expelled from Egypt by Gamal Abdul Nasser for his activities. He moved to Saudi Arabia where he founded the World Islamic League, a charity and...
. The group decided to focus their efforts on Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, and that their veteran members would come together under the leadership of Islambouli.
Al-Islambouli came close to assassinating the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak
Hosni Mubarak
Muhammad Hosni Sayyid Mubarak is a former Egyptian politician and military commander. He served as the fourth President of Egypt from 1981 to 2011....
on June 22, 1995 on the way from Addis Ababa International Airport to an African summit in the city
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
. Showqi and his associates opened fire on the armor-plated limousine destroying most of the escort vehicles. However, Mubarak was saved by the skills of his chauffeur, who U-turned the damaged limousine and raced back to the airport where the presidential plane was waiting with running engines.
Over the winter of 1996/1997, al-Islambouli was commanding a team of al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya
Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya
Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya is an Egyptian Islamist movement, and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union and Egyptian governments...
members, and allocated them to travel to Somalia to bolster the forces of the Islamic Liberation Party.