Background
He was born on May 1944, at Tripoli, Libya.
He was born on May 1944, at Tripoli, Libya.
Educated at Tripoli, then went to the Military College in 1963 and was commissioned as an engineer officer in August 1965 having trained alongside Qadafi.
Promoted to captain in August 1969, he worked closely with Qadafi preparing for the coup on September 1, 1969. He was responsible for much of the liaison work in the Benghazi area with Tripoli for the revolutionary take-over. He was promoted major on January 16, 1970, and personally raised Libya’s black- white-red flag on March 31, 1970, at El Adem at the evacuation of the British forces.
Although he rarely travels very far he was one of the small delegation taken by Qadafi on a five-day visit to Tunisia for meetings with President Bourguiba in October 1972. During the negotiations for union with Egypt he had a significant role in helping to work out security arrangements. Qadafi turned to him when defence matters were discussed in the course of talks with the Egyptians.
Strong man who runs Cyrenaica and often takes control of the entire military command in the absence of Younis Gabir. Ever since he delivered the loyalty of the security forces at Gournada to Qadafi at the time of the coup he has held a position of strength and trust in the regime.
Often at Qadafi’s side, he was one of the few accompanying the RCC chairman to see Prime Minister Jalloud in hospital on August 23, 1972, following a mysterious car crash. Most of his time is spent at Benghazi but he is usually present at all big occasions in Tripoli such as the Qadafi-Sadat meeting on September 18, 1972, when the Libya- Egypt union agreement was reached.
Member of the Revolutionary Command Council since the coup of September 1, 1969.