In an early hour of Thursday (July 19), Major General ‘Umar Sulaymān, the former vice president and Egypt’s spy chief, breathed his last of cardiopulmonary problems at Cleveland Clinic in the U.S. state of Ohio. He was 77.

“The Egyptian embassy is now undertaking procedures to carry the body to Egypt,” an Egyptian diplomat in Washington said, adding two of Sulaymān’s daughters were accompanying him in Washington.

Born in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Qena in 1935, Sulaymān received his education at the MilitaryAcademy in Cairo. He joined the army in 1954 and later received an advanced military training in the former Soviet Union. He obtained a bachelor in political science from ‘AynShamsUniversity, a Master’s Degree in political Science from CairoUniversity and a Master’s Degree in military science in the 1980s.

On January 29, 2011, Sulaymān was appointed vice president by former President Husnī Mubārak on the fifth day of a popular uprising that toppled the longtime leader. He ran for president but was disqualified on a technicality after he failed to obtain enough endorsements to compete in the presidential race.

Sulaymān, who has three daughters – ‘Abīr, Dālyā and Rānyā, had received several decorations for his distinguished service. [Author Not Mentioned, al-Ahrām, July 20, p. 4] Read original text in Arabic