Mubarak funeral President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, generals, state officials, and soldiers congregated at Cairo’s El-Mosheer Tantawy Mosque, where cannons stood ready for a 21-gun salute to bid farewell to the former air force commander. Mubarak’s body was transported by a military helicopter transported to the mosque, where his sons Alaa and Gamal, recently acquitted of corruption charges, were among the mourners.
Mubarak, the Soviet-trained fighter pilot commanded Egypt’s air force during the 1973 war with Israel. The former air force chief and the vice president became head of state in 1981 after Islamist militants assassinated his predecessor Anwar Sadat during a military parade.
Mubarak was elected President of the Organization of African Unity in 1989 and 1993. Under his rule, Egypt returned to the Arab League after its membership was frozen due signing the Camp David Accords.
Mubarak funeral was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, former interim president Adly Mansour, sons of Mubarak, Gamal and Alaa, Grand Imam of Al-Azahar Sheikh Ahmed Al Tayeb, Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria, various ministers, military leaders, and former parliament speaker Ahmad Fathy Srour.
Mubarak was ousted in February 2011 after 18-days nationwide protests against his rule in what was known as the Arab Spring uprisings. The Egyptians protested against the spread of poverty, unemployment, corruption, torture, and repression.
During a presidency that spanned nearly 30 years, Mubarak survived assassination attempts. Most famous of such attempts was in 1995 when gunmen ambushed his motorcade upon his arrival in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
In 2005, he asked the parliament to amend Article 76 of the Constitution to make the election of the president by direct secret ballot and to open the doors for registered parties to nominate a candidate in any presidential election.
