Attempted Assassination of Hosni Mubarak (Allah Akbar)

On the 2nd February 2011, Riaz Husayn attempted to murder the current President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak. Riaz Husayn was part of a cell of Egyptian Islamic fundamentalists planning a coordinated series of assassinations on 4 of Egypt's senior leaders. Hosni Mubarak, Omar Suleiman, Mohamed Tantawi and Sami Anan.

While the attempted murder of Hosni Mubarak would fail with the President only wounded and Tantawi's assassin was intercepted early, both Omar Suleiman and Sami Hafez Anan would be killed. This would spark major reprisal actions by the Egyptian military and pro- supporters of Mubarak culminating in the Battle of Tahir Square.

Prelude
Ihab Latif was a member of the radical Islamic wing of Muslim Brotherhood and had been released from prison in 2009 after 20 years in prison for protesting in the 80s against the regime and Latif was now in his 40s by this point. Latif had become increasingly radical in prison and had upon release rejoined the Muslim Brotherhood and had moved into an apartment with 4 other men Riaz Husayn Dawud Husayn (brother of Riaz), Zaman Raheem and Ihab's cousin Karam Latif. Dawud, Zaram and Latif had all met in prison and had met up upon their release with Dawud and Ihab recruiting their brother and cousin respectively.

These men shared an apartment in Alexandria for a bit over a year working odd jobs and remaining part of the Muslim Brotherhood. The five men smuggled themselves into the Gaza Strip in February 2010 and returned in March 2010 with training and connections in Hamas. Upon their return to Alexandria the men started stockpiling weapons and explosives in their apartment awaiting an Islamic revolution.

Incidents in Tunisia and a series of self- immolation led the men to believe the time of Islamic take over was coming. The five men began planning for their role in the revolution in late December and they had decided to assassinate four of Egypt's leadership: Mubarak, Suleiman, Tantawi and Anan. As the Day of Revolt occurred in Cairo on the 25th January the five men moved from Alexandria to Cairo and stayed with Karam Latif's brother.

The five men started reconnaissance of their targets and locations.

The five men all were assigned targets Riaz Husayn would kill Mubarak, Duwad Husayn would kill Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, Zaman Rhaeem would kill Omar Sulieman and Karam Latif would kill Safi Hafez Anan. While Anan was known to not be in the country his return was expected.

Ihab Latif would go to Tahir square and move into the centre of the crowd hoping that Egyptian soldiers would attempt to force their way into the crowd to arrest him after the assassinations.

On the 1st February the men all met up at their place in Cairo and said goodbye before setting off to kill.

Hosni Mubarak
Riaz Husayn set off for Heliopolis palace with Zaman Raheem and they arrived at night and sneaked in through the gardens at around 4am on the 2nd February. They were dressed as CSF troops and got in without incident they both separated to head for their target's sleeping quarters. Riaz was only challenged once on his way to the President and managed to convince his challenger that he was allowed through and his supposed rank as Deputy Sargent allowed him to get past the Private First Class.

Once he reached the President's sleeping quarters, There were 2 guards outside, rather than try and explain he simply opened fire with the CSF standard issue AK 47 on the 2 soldiers killing them. There were a further 3 guards inside the sleeping quarters but outside of his room. These 3 bodyguards immediately were alerted by shooting outside. Riaz threw a grenade into the room killing one of the bodyguards and wounding the other 2. Riaz charged to the President's room and finding it locked blasted the lock off with a burst off three.

Upon entering the room with no light he fired blindly into the room expending 8 rounds, before 5 successive rounds smashed into his back and head killing Riaz as the two wounded bodyguards both fired at him after recovering their senses.

The Private First Class who had challenged Riaz initially burst into the room having followed the sound of the gunfire and was the first to see the President as his 2 body guards were wounded. The private was nearly shot by the bodyguards as the assassin had been in similar CSF uniform but they held fire after the Private stopped and was identified. Screaming and sobbing were head in the room and those outside were convinced he had killed the President. Upon switching the light on Hosni Mubarak was cradling his wounded wife Suzanne who had a round fired by the assassin hit her in the chest. Though the President and the Private attempted first aid she died from internal bleeding within a few minutes as the round had slashed through her heart.

The President hadn't been hit and was soon taken to his office where he heard news of Suleiman's attack.

Omar Suleiman
Zaman Raheem left Riaz to carry out his job and proceeded to the guest rooms where Suleiman was sleeping. He managed to get right outside the Vice President's room claiming he was a messenger of the President with orders but he was refused direct entry to the room with one of Suleiman's bodyguards knocking on the door. Suleiman then gave his bodyguard permission to enter. As the door open Raheem withdrew a grenade from a pocket and lobbed it inside the room before attempting to withdraw a pistol from the back of him. As soon as one of his bodyguards saw this he smashed into Raheem pinning him to the wall while he tried to withdraw his pistol. Raheem managed to get it out and shoot his tackler in the abdomen before being punched twice in the face by the bodyguard who had opened the door and then had his hand pinned to the wall.

The bodyguard who had tackled him would survive while the grenade exploded wounding Suleiman after a number of pieces shrapnel hit him. He died on the operating table as they attempted to remove the shrapnel in his lungs. Zaman Raheem would survive and be taken for interrogation.

Mohammed Tantawi
Duwad Husayn travelled to the home of Tantawi to murder him. His attempt to sneak into the home of the Minister of Defence at around 4am went badly, after attempting to move across a back yard by climbing a fence to go through a window an alarm which he hadn't realise was there triggered and 3 guards quickly came out to confront him. Duwad aware that he had been rumbled by the lights and noise, ran and left the way he came climbing back over the fence as the three guards came in pursuit going through a gate.

As he ran out into the streets of Cairo, the guards almost lost him before he stared straight at them and then tried to run away again. He was tackled by a civilian after the body guards shouted for his arrest. Then he was bundled to the ground and restrained by the bodyguards who caught up with him. Duwad was arrested and taken into custody. Tantawi was awoken and taken to the Ministry of Defence.

Sami Anan
Karam Latif attempted to sneak into the Anan's home to murder him but was late to arrive due to traffic and by this point the attacks on the other three targets had occurred and was inside of the home at 4:15. The chief of staff was awoken and told to go the ministry of defence.

As he moved downstairs to leave his house escorted by security guards, Karam and Anan almost walked into one another with his bodyguards in the dark believing he was another guard. Karam drew his weapon loosed off a shot at Anan hitting him in the chest before a bodyguard fired bac