Egypt: First Reporter Death & Al Jazeera Cairo Offices Set Ablaze.

[sabrina 1]

Egyptian reporter shot in clashes dies, first journalist death in crisis

CAIRO (AP) — An Egyptian reporter who was shot during clashes a week ago died of his wounds Friday, his employer said, in the first reported death of a journalist in the chaos surrounding Egypt's anti-government protests.

Ahmed Mohammed Mahmoud, 36, was taking photographs of fighting between protesters and security forces from the balcony of his home when he was shot Jan. 28, state-run newspaper Al-Ahram said on its website.

The Qatar-based television network Al-Jazeera said its offices in Cairo were set ablaze, along with the equipment inside it. The station announced later Friday that security forces arrested its Cairo bureau chief Abdel-Fattah Fayed and a correspondent Ahmed Youssef.

Mubarak supporters assaulted dozens of correspondents with virtual impunity in central Cairo this week with little intervention from nearby military units.

<img src="" width="150" height="150" alt="+++ #Egypt and the Socialmedia ;o) ++++ #Jan25 #Feb1 #Pic +++... on Twitpic">

This Social Media Photo can be seen on twitpic



Google and Twitter helped the Egyptian people get around the Government's block of the internet.

Now a Google executive is missing:

@plusma
plusma
PLS RT : Google Exec @Ghonim missing in #Cairo #Egypt http://nyti.ms/ihFrpj #Ghonim @PoliticalBee #Missing_in_Egypt #aje #tahrir #aljazeera

I read yesterday that he had been kidnapped, presumably by the secret police.

Praise for Google:

@estr4ng3d
Abdelrahman
Wow. @Google now automatically redirects searches in #Egypt to SSL. You are a beautiful company. THANK YOU #Jan25

Another Al Jazeera journalist arrested:

@openegypt
open egypt
RT Al Jazeera journalist arrested in Cairo Airpoirt http://dlvr.it/FsPkS #jan25 #egypt

And two more disappear:

@AymanM
Ayman Mohyeldin
two of my colleagues from aljazeera arabic have gone missing in #cairo we don't know who took them #jan25 #tahrir #aja #AJE

Clinton warns of "perfect storm" in Middle East

(Reuters) - The Middle East faces a "perfect storm" of unrest and regional leaders must quickly enact real democratic reforms or risk even greater instability, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Saturday.

Clinton, speaking at a security conference in Munich, said lack of political reform, coupled with a growing young population and new Internet technologies, threatened the old order in a region crucial to U.S. security.

"The region is being battered by a perfect storm of powerful trends," Clinton said. "This is what has driven demonstrators into the streets of Tunis, Cairo, and cities throughout the region. The status quo is simply not sustainable."

Meanwhile, it is not safe for journalists in Egypt anymore:

@mideastmedia
David Botti
RT @jonjensen: American journo @Theodore_May detained by army in Tahrir. He was filming prayers with a Flip cam at the time. #Egypt #Jan25

[sabrina 1]

1. From detained reporters, what they saw:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/weekinreview/06held.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&src=ig"]2 Detained Reporters Saw Secret Police’s Methods Firsthand



Arrested Egyptian protesters are escorted by soldiers during clashes at Tahrir square.

WE had been detained by Egyptian authorities, handed over to the country’s dreaded Mukhabarat, the secret police, and interrogated. They left us all night in a cold room, on hard orange plastic stools, under fluorescent lights.

But our discomfort paled in comparison to the dull whacks and the screams of pain by Egyptian people that broke the stillness of the night. In one instance, between the cries of suffering, an officer said in Arabic, “You are talking to journalists? You are talking badly about your country?”

The Mukhabarat has had a working relationship with American intelligence, including the C.I.A.’s so-called rendition program of prison transfers. During our questioning, a man nearby was being beaten — the sickening sound somewhere between a thud and a thwack. Between his screams someone yelled in Arabic, “You’re a traitor working with foreigners.”

This is what 'friend and ally' really means. A country we can depend on to help us with our torture program. No wonder there are no prosecutions of war criminals. They are all in on it.

[sabrina 1]

2. Widow of murdered journalist:

@hfakhry
Hany Fakhry
RT @marwame: Widow of murdered #Egypt journalist: My husband was filming protests from office window. Sniper shot him in head. #jan25

The reports of snipers were true ... I hope there will be investigations and those who ordered the senseless and needless violence will be held accountable.