Vanguards of Conquest
Encyclopedia
Founded as a branch of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad operating in Somalia in 1993, the Vanguards of Conquest (Talaa'al al-Fateh) were a separate faction that eventually folded back into the group under the leadership of Ayman al-Zawahiri
.
In its first year, the Vanguards carried out two failed assassination attempts, the first in August, a Cairo bombing that only managed to injure Egyptian Interior Minister Hasan al-Alfi, and three months later a similar bombing aimed at Prime Minister Atef Sedki
, which killed a teenage girl at a bus stop.
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 Mstafa 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.
In June 1995, they launched a failed attack against President Hosni Mubarak
.
The leader of the Vanguards was believed to be Kamel Agiza, and Canadian officials allege that Mohammad Zeki Mahjoub was his second-in-command.
In December 1998, the Vanguards of Conquest issued a communique to Islamist groups calling for attacks against the United States "for its arrogance" in bombing Iraq ostensibly to distract from the Monica Lewinsky
scandal.
The group is alleged to have folded into Qaeda-al-Jihad
when Zawahiri merged his group with Osama bin Laden
in 2001. But in April 2002, Egyptian security forces arrested 30 men for allegedly planning to revive the Vanguards.
Ayman al-Zawahiri
Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri is an Egyptian physician, Islamic theologian and current leader of al-Qaeda. He was previously the second and last "emir" of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, having succeeded Abbud al-Zumar in the latter role when Egyptian authorities sentenced al-Zumar to life...
.
In its first year, the Vanguards carried out two failed assassination attempts, the first in August, a Cairo bombing that only managed to injure Egyptian Interior Minister Hasan al-Alfi, and three months later a similar bombing aimed at Prime Minister Atef Sedki
Atef Sedki
Atef Muhammad Naguib Sedki was the Prime Minister of Egypt from 1986 until 1996. He replaced Ali Mahmoud Lutfi on November 10, 1986.-Biography:...
, which killed a teenage girl at a bus stop.
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 Mstafa 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
Showqi Al-Islambouli
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...
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.
In June 1995, they launched a failed attack against 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....
.
The leader of the Vanguards was believed to be Kamel Agiza, and Canadian officials allege that Mohammad Zeki Mahjoub was his second-in-command.
In December 1998, the Vanguards of Conquest issued a communique to Islamist groups calling for attacks against the United States "for its arrogance" in bombing Iraq ostensibly to distract from the Monica Lewinsky
Monica Lewinsky
Monica Samille Lewinsky is an American woman with whom United States President Bill Clinton admitted to having had an "improper relationship" while she worked at the White House in 1995 and 1996...
scandal.
The group is alleged to have folded into Qaeda-al-Jihad
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
when Zawahiri merged his group with Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
in 2001. But in April 2002, Egyptian security forces arrested 30 men for allegedly planning to revive the Vanguards.