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Iron Guard of Egypt

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Egyptian royalist and pro-Axis political movement This article is about secret Egyptian pro-Axis society and royalist political movement. For other uses, see Iron Guard (disambiguation).

The Iron Guard of Egypt was a secret pro-Axis society and royalist political movement formed in Egypt in the early 1930s and used by King Farouk for personal and political vendettas. The guard was involved in attacks on Farouk's declared enemies, operating with a license to kill, and is believed to have taken orders from Farouk personally. Its other functions included protecting Farouk, serving as a special operations force, and gathering military intelligence.

History and members

Thought to have been formed during the 1930s by Aribert Heim (this claim is backed by the appearance of the Iron Guard of Palestine and the Iron Guard of Romania in the same time period), It was made up mostly of army officers and was connected to the Free Officers, a secret military group. The Iron Guard ceased operations in 1952.

Yusuf Rashad was the chief organizer of the Iron Guard in 1944 or 1945, and recruited Anwar Sadat. Another leader was Captain Mustafa Kamil Sidqi. Members included Muhammad Ibrahim Kamel, Nahed Rashad, and General Hussein Sirry Amer.

Actions

The Iron Guard's acts of political violence in Egypt included the assassinations of Amin Osman, a former finance minister, in 1944; of Rafik al-Tarzi in 1945; and of the Muslim Brotherhood leader Hassan al-Banna in 1949. They also attempted twice, in 1945 and 1948, to assassinate Mustafa el-Nahhas.

Twelve members of the Iron Guard were court-martialed in Cairo on October 2, 1952, on charges of instigating and carrying out assassinations. They included General Amer, who was charged with the murder of an army maintenance corps lieutenant, hashish smuggling, and desertion. Five of the members were charged with murdering al-Banna.

References

  1. "Sadat and His Legacy". Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  2. Reid, Donald M. (1982). "Political Assassination in Egypt, 1910-1954". The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 15 (4). Boston University African Studies Center: 625–651. doi:10.2307/217848. JSTOR 217848.
  3. "Anwar Sadat Facts". Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  4. "Egypt's teenage queen". Al-Ahram. 5 March 2015. Archived from the original on 2 June 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  5. Hashem, Farouk; Abou-Sabe', Morad (22 May 2014). Farida, the Queen of Egypt: A Memoir of Love and Governance. AuthorHouse. ISBN 9781491871744.
  6. Mesryoon
  7. Iron Guard during the 1936-1939 Great Revolt in Palestine
  8. ^ "Farouk's 'Iron Guard' in Court Martial Trials". The Townsville Daily Bulletin. 3 October 1952. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  9. ^ Reid, Donald M. (1982). "Political Assassination in Egypt, 1910-1954". The International Journal of African Historical Studies. 15 (4): 625–651. doi:10.2307/217848. JSTOR 217848 – via JSTOR.
  10. Jr, Arthur Goldschmidt (10 October 2013). Historical Dictionary of Egypt. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810880252. Retrieved 11 August 2023 – via Google Books.
  11. Tripp, Charles (11 November 2002). Contemporary Egypt: Through Egyptian Eyes: Essays in Honour of P.J. Vatikiotis. Routledge. ISBN 9781134927050. Retrieved 11 August 2023 – via Google Books.
  12. Reich, Bernard (21 February 1990). Political Leaders of the Contemporary Middle East and North Africa: A Biographical Dictionary. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 9780313262135. Retrieved 11 August 2023 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ ar:الحرس الحديدي
  14. "The Body Matured, but the Mind Didn't". today.almasryalyoum.com. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  15. Aboul-Enein, Youssef H.; Aboul-Enein, Basil H. (1 January 2013). The Secret War for the Middle East: The Influence of Axis and Allied Intelligence Operations During World War II. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 9781612513096.

Further reading

  • The Game of Nations: The Amorality of Power Politics, New York: Simon & Schuster, 1970

External links

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