History’s Out of the Ordinary Radicals

History’s Out of the Ordinary Radicals

Khalid Elhassan - June 29, 2020

History’s Out of the Ordinary Radicals
Egyptian Islamic Jihad extremists during the assassination of Anwar Sadat. Rare Historical Photos

19. Killing a President on Live TV

Lieutenant Khalid Islambouli was a secret member of Egypt’s Islamic Jihad. The group’s ranks included Ayman al Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s future second in command and successor as head of Al Qaeda. Islambouli and his men had live ammunition for their weapons. As TV cameras broadcast the parade live, Islambouli’s truck passed by president Anwar Sadat’s reviewing stand. The lieutenant and his men disembarked and approached the review stand.

(Ayman al Zawahiri and other Egyptian Islamic Jihad members on trial in 1982 in the aftermath of Sadat’s assassination)

Sadat thought it was part of the parade, and saluted Islambouli, who responded by quickly lobbing three grenades at the president. Only one grenade exploded, but as it went off, Islambouli’s accomplices rushed the review stand and opened fire, killing Sadat and several others nearby.

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