Mamdouh Ismail
Encyclopedia
Mamdouh Ismail is an Egyptian defence attorney and a former member of "the Jihad group" (later called Egyptian Islamic Jihad), who since the 1980s has represented various Egyptians accused of terrorism offences in Egypt. He was arrested himself on 29 March 2007 and is now accused of complicity in an "Egyptian project" of al-Qaeda
, taking his orders from Ayman al-Zawahiri
via Muhammad Khalil al-Hukaymah (al-Qaeda propaganda chief) and Hani al-Sibai
(publicist for Egyptian Islamic Jihad). All three—Ismail, al-Sibai, and al-Hukaymah -- deny that charge. Ismail is also charged with incitement.
When Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
was killed in June 2006 and replaced by someone with the previously unknown pseudonym Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, the American military soon identified the latter as Abu Ayyub al-Masri
. It was Mamdouh Ismail who then started the false rumour that Abu Ayyub was already in prison in Egypt.
Ismael has publicly objected to a reconciliation between Cairo and Egyptian Islamic Jihad. In 1999 he was refused permission to establish an Islamist political party (called Hizb ash-Shari'a) with the help of fellow lawyer Muntasir al-Zayyat. Those two worked alongside Hani al-Sibai as well, before the latter took refuge in the UK.
Ismael was one of the hundreds who were rounded up following the assassination of Anwar al-Sadat in 1981; he served three years. The arrest in 2007 is his first since that time.
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...
, taking his orders from Ayman al-Zawahiri
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...
via Muhammad Khalil al-Hukaymah (al-Qaeda propaganda chief) and Hani al-Sibai
Hani al-Sibai
Hani al-Sibai , also known as Hani Mohammed Yusuf al-Siba'i and Hani al-Said al-Siba'i Yusuf...
(publicist for Egyptian Islamic Jihad). All three—Ismail, al-Sibai, and al-Hukaymah -- deny that charge. Ismail is also charged with incitement.
When Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi ; October 30, 1966 – June 7, 2006), born Ahmad Fadeel al-Nazal al-Khalayleh was a Jordanian militant Islamist who ran a paramilitary training camp in Afghanistan...
was killed in June 2006 and replaced by someone with the previously unknown pseudonym Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, the American military soon identified the latter as Abu Ayyub al-Masri
Abu Ayyub al-Masri
Abu Ayyub al-Masri , also known as Abu Hamza al-Muhajir and other aliases , was an active combattant of al-Qaeda and at least a senior aide to former leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. When Zarqawi was killed in a U.S. airstrike on 7 June 2006, U.S...
. It was Mamdouh Ismail who then started the false rumour that Abu Ayyub was already in prison in Egypt.
Ismael has publicly objected to a reconciliation between Cairo and Egyptian Islamic Jihad. In 1999 he was refused permission to establish an Islamist political party (called Hizb ash-Shari'a) with the help of fellow lawyer Muntasir al-Zayyat. Those two worked alongside Hani al-Sibai as well, before the latter took refuge in the UK.
Ismael was one of the hundreds who were rounded up following the assassination of Anwar al-Sadat in 1981; he served three years. The arrest in 2007 is his first since that time.