Attempted assassination of Gamal Abdel Nasser

Summary

On 26 October 1954, Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser narrowly survived an assassination attempt while giving a public speech in Manshiyya, Alexandria. Mahmoud Abdel-Latif, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, fired eight shots at Nasser, all of which missed, although two dignitaries were slightly injured by shattered glass. The failed attempt escalated tensions between Nasser's secular Arab nationalist regime and the Brotherhood, culminating in a nationwide crackdown on all political opponents. The event also consolidated Nasser's power, allowing him to overthrow Mohamed Naguib and formally assume the presidency. The incident has been referred to as the Manshiyya incident.