Ezzedine Salim
Encyclopedia
Ezzedine Salim, also known as Abdelzahra Othman Mohammed (1943 - 17 May 2004 , عبدالزهرة عثمان محمد), was an Iraq
i politician.
, Salim began studying religion and politics at a young age. At the age of 19 he joined the Shiite group Islamic Dawa Party
, whose members were quickly noticed by the Baath Party
as a threat to their power. He left Iraq in his early twenties to go and live in Kuwait
.
After a short time in Kuwait, he went to Iran
where he began his career as an editor in many newspapers as well as his main job in the SCIRI (Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq). During his stay in Iran, he gained recognition as a Mujtahid (a high-ranking Islam
ic scholar). He wrote over 100 books covering topics ranging from religion to politics.
Salim headed the Daawa al-Islamiyah ("Invitation to Islam") party, an Islamist
party officially being referred to (in 2004) as Daawa Islamic Party. Known as a writer, philosopher, thinker and political activist, he started his political party as a vehicle to coordinate opposition against Saddam Hussein
. The party was quickly recognized as a strong anti-Saddam group. It gained many supporters over the years, and became respected not only in Iraq, Iran and the Middle East
but throughout the world. Salim survived numerous assassination attempts by Saddam's followers, and deliberately changed his name to avoid being tracked.
In July 2003, Salim was given a position on the Iraqi Governing Council
by the U.S.
-led Coalition Provisional Authority
, where he was serving as a crucial member. At a "town hall" meeting with press and public, April 25, 2004, he was asked whether Iraq could retain its identity as an Arab
nation under a democracy. Ezzedine Salim responded, “Iraq is a member of the Arab League
, but all are represented here now, including Turkmen
, Kurds and Christians for example. Iraq is full of diversity.”
He became president of the Council on May 1, 2004. Ezzedine Salim was to serve as Council President until the formal handover of power to a new government on June 30. However, he was killed by a suicide car bomb near the Green Zone
on May 17, 2004. Al-Qaeda in Iraq
was responsible.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i politician.
Biography
Born in the city of BasraBasra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
, Salim began studying religion and politics at a young age. At the age of 19 he joined the Shiite group Islamic Dawa Party
Islamic Dawa Party
The Islamic Dawa Party or Islamic Call Party is a political party in Iraq. Dawa and the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council are two of the main parties in the religious-Shiite United Iraqi Alliance, which won a plurality of seats in both the provisional January 2005 Iraqi election and the longer-term...
, whose members were quickly noticed by the Baath Party
Baath Party
The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party was a political party mixing Arab nationalist and Arab socialist interests, opposed to Western imperialism, and calling for the renaissance or resurrection and unification of the Arab world into a single state. Ba'ath is also spelled Ba'th or Baath and means...
as a threat to their power. He left Iraq in his early twenties to go and live in Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
.
After a short time in Kuwait, he went to Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
where he began his career as an editor in many newspapers as well as his main job in the SCIRI (Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq). During his stay in Iran, he gained recognition as a Mujtahid (a high-ranking Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
ic scholar). He wrote over 100 books covering topics ranging from religion to politics.
Salim headed the Daawa al-Islamiyah ("Invitation to Islam") party, an Islamist
Islamism
Islamism also , lit., "Political Islam" is set of ideologies holding that Islam is not only a religion but also a political system. Islamism is a controversial term, and definitions of it sometimes vary...
party officially being referred to (in 2004) as Daawa Islamic Party. Known as a writer, philosopher, thinker and political activist, he started his political party as a vehicle to coordinate opposition against Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
. The party was quickly recognized as a strong anti-Saddam group. It gained many supporters over the years, and became respected not only in Iraq, Iran and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
but throughout the world. Salim survived numerous assassination attempts by Saddam's followers, and deliberately changed his name to avoid being tracked.
In July 2003, Salim was given a position on the Iraqi Governing Council
Iraqi Governing Council
The Iraqi Governing Council was the provisional government of Iraq from July 13, 2003 to June 1, 2004. It was established by and served under the United States-led Coalition Provisional Authority...
by the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-led Coalition Provisional Authority
Coalition Provisional Authority
The Coalition Provisional Authority was established as a transitional government following the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, members of the Multi-National Force – Iraq which was formed to oust the government of Saddam Hussein in 2003...
, where he was serving as a crucial member. At a "town hall" meeting with press and public, April 25, 2004, he was asked whether Iraq could retain its identity as an Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
nation under a democracy. Ezzedine Salim responded, “Iraq is a member of the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
, but all are represented here now, including Turkmen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
, Kurds and Christians for example. Iraq is full of diversity.”
He became president of the Council on May 1, 2004. Ezzedine Salim was to serve as Council President until the formal handover of power to a new government on June 30. However, he was killed by a suicide car bomb near the Green Zone
Green Zone
The Green Zone is the most common name for the International Zone of Baghdad. It is a area of central Baghdad, Iraq, that was the governmental center of the Coalition Provisional Authority and remains the center of the international presence in the city...
on May 17, 2004. Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Al-Qaeda in Iraq
Al-Qaeda in Iraq is a popular name for the Iraqi division of the international Salafi jihadi militant organization al-Qaeda. It is recognized as a part of the greater Iraqi insurgency....
was responsible.