Preceded by Zaki Badr Alma mater Police Academy Succeeded by Hassan Al Alfi | Nationality Egyptian Name Abdul Moussa Rank Major general | |
Died July 19, 2003, Cairo, Egypt | ||
Abdul Halim Moussa (c. 1930 – 2003) was an Egyptian police major general and interior minister who was in office from 1990 to 1993.
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Education
Moussa graduated from the police academy in 1954.
Career and activities
Moussa served as a director of public security and held the rank of police major general. He was named governor of the southern province of Asyut. He was appointed minister of interior by President Hosni Mubarak in January 1990, replacing Zaki Badr in the post. Moussa's appointment was commonly welcomed by the Egyptian public. Unlike his successor, he adopted a conciliatory approach toward Islamic groups during his term.
However, in December 1992 Moussa argued that there were more than 2,000 members of Iran's Revolutionary Guards in Sudan and that they were training Egyptian extremists in the camps. Moussa's term lasted until 18 April 1993 when he was fired by Mubarak due to his failure in ending the violence perpetrated by Islamic insurgents. The day before his dismissal Moussa stated that a dialogue had been opened towards the Islamic militants. Hassan Al Alfi replaced Moussa as interior minister.
Assassination
Moussa escaped unhurt four assassination attempts all by the Egyptian Islamic Jihad when he was in office as interior minister. The first attempt was in October 1990. However, not Moussa but the then parliamentary speaker Rifaat Al Mahgoub was killed in the attack. In the last attempt, Moussa's driver, who was a relative of the group, was killed and perpetrators apologized to the family of the driver.
Death
Moussa was diagnosed with cancer in 2002. He died of cancer at the age of 73 in Cairo on 19 July 2003.