Abdel Hakim Abdel Nasser says his father's health points to natural causes. He remains troubled by the timing, amid the army's rebuilding and the demands of Black September.
Gamal Abdel Nasser suffered a heart attack on 11 September 1969. He later had another episode, according to his son Abdel Hakim Abdel Nasser. That history shapes his account of the former president's death: he sees signs of natural causes, yet remains uneasy about when it happened. Nasser died in Cairo on 28 September 1970, after taking part in talks to resolve the Black September crisis in Jordan.
Speaking to Tony Khalifa on Al Mashhad's High Tension, Abdel Hakim said he has no evidence that his father was killed. His questions stem from the strain of the Black September crisis and the Egyptian army's rebuilding as it prepared for another round with Israel. Nasser had led Egypt since 1954 and remained president until his death. The period followed the 1967 defeat and the ensuing War of Attrition, as Egypt worked to rebuild its military.
Medical history
Gamal Abdel Nasser had heart problems and did not adhere to treatment, his son said. Medical capabilities at the time were less advanced than they are today. Stents, for example, were not available in the form familiar now. Abdel Hakim made these remarks in an interview carried by Ahram Online.
Abdel Hakim said the physical exertion his father faced could have triggered a heart attack even in someone without a history of heart trouble. For a person who had already suffered cardiac episodes, he argued, that burden was especially significant. Nasser had taken part in diplomatic efforts during the September 1970 crisis shortly before his death. His son described the pressure of those events alongside the demands of rebuilding the army.
Questions without proof
Abdel Hakim questions the timing of his father's death. He says he cannot substantiate a claim that Nasser was murdered. The health history, as he described it, points toward natural causes; his uncertainty about the timing is personal, not evidence of a killing.
He also placed his questions in the military context of 1970. Nasser died about 50 days after the Rogers ceasefire initiative, Abdel Hakim noted, and Egyptian missile batteries were moving toward the Suez Canal as the army prepared for renewed conflict with Israel. He has said these details form part of his account of the period, not evidence that his father was killed. His remarks were also reported by Newsroom.
A separate report on World Bank trade commitments covers a different policy subject and offers no evidence about Nasser's death.
