This is part 8 of an 8-part series
6 October 1981. It was a sunny Tuesday when President Anwar el-Sadat, dressed in an army uniform, witnessed a military parade to commemorate the success of his October 1973 battle – an offensive that saw Egypt recover the Sinai from Israel as Cairo signed a peace deal with Tel-Aviv.
It was also on this morning that the 63 year-old president would see his legacy come to an end following a 44-second attack, according to Major General Ahmed el-Fouli, a member of the president’s security team. It would become a black day in Egypt’s contemporary history.
Parade of glory to horror
During the celebration, Sadat looked up at the sky where Egyptian Air Force Mirage jets were flying, while army soldiers and troop trucks paraded by. Suddenly a military truck, containing a kill squad, stopped in front of the tribune. Khaled al-Islambouli, an officer in the
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