Abdel-Halim Abu Ghazala
| Mohammad Abd al-Halim Abu Ghazala | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Minister of Defence of Egypt | |
|
In office 1981–1989 |
|
| President | Hosni Mubarak |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | Ahmed Badawi |
| Succeeded by | Youssef Sabri Abu Taleb |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
15 January 1930 Beheira, Egypt |
| Died | 6 September 2008 (aged 78) El-Galaa' Military Hospital, Egypt |
| Political party | Independent |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Egypt
|
| Service/branch | Army |
| Years of service | 1948/1950 – 1989 |
| Rank |
 Field Marshal
|
| Commands | Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces |
| Battles/wars |
Suez Crisis Six-Day War Yom Kippur War |
Mohamed Abd al-Halim Abu Ghazala (1930-2008) (محمد عبد الحليم أبو غزاله) was Defense Minister of Egypt from 1981 to 1989, when Egyptian president Mubarak removed him from office due to claims that he was involved in a missile-parts illegal import scandal from the United States, by violating U.S. export laws. The USA did not allow exporting certain materials used for making missile heads to the Egyptian military. So the Egyptian intelligence under Abu Ghazala's commands managed to import those materials indirectly though Germany in a highly complicated undercover intelligence mission, until the FBI found out about the mission and issued arrest warrants for the involved Egyptian Intelligence officers and an involved Egyptian missile scientist.
He was born in Zuhur Al Omara Village, Dilingat, Behera governorate, in February 1930. His family descended from "Awlad Aly" tribe. After completing his secondary education, he joined the Egyptian Royal Military Academy, then he received the battalion command diploma from Stalin Academy in the Soviet Union in 1949. He also graduated from Nasser Academy for higher military education (Cairo 1961). On the civilian studies side, he received a bachelor's degree from the faculty of commerce, Cairo University. Abu Ghazala received the diploma of honor from the National War College in the U.S., thus being the first non-American to receive such an award.
Field Marshal Abd al-Halim Abu Ghazala was the artillery commander in chief during October War of 1973. When Minister of defense and military production, Ahmad Badawi, died along with 12 senior officers in a helicopter crash on 2 March 1981\ Anwar Sadat appointed Abu Ghazala minister of defense and military production.
He did not participate in the Six Day War of 1967 as he was serving in the Western Desert.
He was also involved with Gust Avrakotos and Charlie Wilson in supplying weapons to the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet Afghan war. The CIA bought the weapons and passed them through Pakistan's ISI to the Afghan rebel groups. Items included .303 ammo for Lee–Enfield rifles, limpet mines, and urban terrorist devices like bicycle bombs. There were also a number of rockets that some believe was the Katyusha.
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Wikipedia