OUSTED WAR CHIEF A SUICIDE IN CAIRO

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP69B00369R000100230083-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 15, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 9, 2004
• Sequence Number: 83
• Content Type: NSPR

`afi .PG
Approved For Release 2004 ~OifO.:;IA~kR>~'9EQ
Abdul Amer addressing Egyptian troops last May.
Ousted War Chief
ig 1 Amer, charged with plotting
al against his old revolutionary
(friend President Nasser, com-
side In Cairo
By Osgood Caruthers
Los Angeles Times
CAIRO, Sept. 15-Former power in the aftermath of the
Vice President Abdel Hakim Arab-Israel war.
mitted suicide by taking a
"dangerous narcotic poison,"
it was officially announced to-
Ironically, Amer was a man
best known for his fanatic ded-
ication to his leader, President
Nasser. He was one of the
original plotters who formed
day. i the Free Officers who led the
A government press spokes-successful coup d'etat against
man said the 48-year-old field King Farouk in 1952, and until
marshal and former cony his recent decline was widely
mander in chief of the Egyp considered the man closest to
tian Armen 1'nrrrc tnnk h;c liFn.
00itown on the Nile in UpperI Nasser responded to Amer's
ngiEgypt and buried this morn-I dedication by repeatedly giv-
ing, the spokesman said.
est fog him posts of authority and
Amer had been under house (
ad. arrest since Nasser dischar ed responsibility beyond his best
Igo him from his command follow-I friend's capabilities. Until two
gil- ing the defeat of the Egyptian years ago, he was the heir air
)US armed forces in the six-clay ~ parent, and Nikita Khrushchev
ar- war with the Israelis in June I made him a hero of the Soviet
in, and during the last week he Union at the same time Ile
ar has been charged in officially gave this top award to Nasser
a sanctioned stories in the news- himself.
paper Al Abram with having Amer's career as a leading
[le plotted with other dissident member of Egypt's military
ve officers to have himself rein- iunta was always tied closely
is stated and exonerated of the to the military forces them-
ro- blame for the June defeat. He selves. Nasser's faith and con.
rst was said to be facing a court-;fidence in him were such that
to martial for treason. he survived as minister of war
The news of Amer's suicide and commander-in-chief de-
. nselhad raced through Cairo since spite the 1956 Suez debacle.
'ling only Thursday night but was Similarly, he stayed on despite
tect- oY confirmed Friday eve- the humiliating inability of'.
acrd ning at a specially called
ress
p
I; ypt's
the conference. Before this mem- ? Powerful Soviet-
begs of Amer's family and i equipped army to rout a mot-
friends had been seen in ley collection of Royalist
streets around the marshal's; yearls the Yemen in a four-
key guarded villa wailing and cry- year civil war.
se- ing, "Ho is dead, he is dead,"i 'Amer's most notorious set-
tion back came when Syria broke
In 4Vashir I J
on
l
ti'
le,
in
an
to
wl
pu
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th
th
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he
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it
fe
n(
if
, oe ti
5 g
ex i away from Egypt and the
- thel Morris Jr., Middle East corre- United Arab Republic in 1961.
lead- spondent of the Los Angeles Anier was Nasser'. ^auleiter a
.sure Times, wrote this appraisal in the so-called n o ') e r n
tight of Amer's career: region at the time, -.as w
stem Amer is the first Arab lead- placed under arrest - w
1000 or to fall from grace and See MIDEAST, Al-
100
Toss
Approved For Rele a 2d0410&105 : CIA-RbP69BOO369RO6O1OO23OO83-9