Omar al-Mukhtar (ca. 1860-1931), national hero of Libya and member of the Senusy, a religious organization with administrative and military functions, led the anticolonial resistance in Cirenaica from 1923 to 1931, when he was captured by the Italians and condemned to death.

Little is known of Omar al-Mukhtar until the last decade of his life when he became the undisputed leader of the Senusist resistance in Cirenaica. Even his date of birth is uncertain, somewhere between 1856 and 1862, in el Batwan in oriental Cirenaica. For eight years he studied in the koran school of Giarabub, the Senusy's holy city. He taught in a Senusist zawiya but also took part in military operations against the Italians and the allies during World War I.

When the Italians openly attacked Senusy in the spring of 1923 (at the end of April the existing agreements were formally denounced) Omar was among the most competent and active...