Here are some facts about Tantawi:
- He was born on Oct. 31, 1935 and joined the armed forces in 1956.
- Tantawi holds the rank of Field Marshal and has served in the government of Egypt as minister of defense and military production since 1991 and a general commander for the armed forces since 1995.
- He has served in three wars against Israel, starting with the 1956 Suez Crisis and both the 1967 and 1973 Middle East wars.
- He was appointed deputy prime minister, in addition to his post as defense minister, after Mubarak sacked his cabinet in a failed attempt to calm mass protests on Jan. 29.
- His military background and seniority had led to speculation he could be a possible runner for presidency, though some analysts said he had limited support among the armed forces' rank and file.
- Reuters
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/212828/egypt-defense-minister-tantawi-heads-military-council
