#Syrian Revolution : Pray for Bab Amr

Early morning we knew from news wires and agencies that official sources in Damascus that the Syrian Arab army will put an end to those militant gangs in Bab Amr in Homs today.

This meant one thing a major offensive that would include ground operations in the old quarter that has been isolated from the world since the morning , we do not know anything except for hours now that 20,000 Syrian citizen are trapped there along with 4  Foreign journalists. “ Warning +18 : As well the bodies of Marie Colvin and Rami Ochlik”

The Syrian Arab army tried to storm the quarter from 4 areas and they have failed thank God 1000 times despite it was a ground attack. The Free Syrian army and the resistance in Bab Amr reportedly did a fantastic job in resisting the SAA. The SAA reached to an area called Hakora in Baba Amr and had to pull back because of the resistance in the area.

The FSA has reportedly lost a lot of men and arms especially that it does not own tanks as well their priority is transfer the women and children to safer places.

You must know that it is snowing since afternoon in Homs , despite the weather helped the people of  Bab Amr  , unfortunately the people in city of Homs are suffering the lack of electricity and fuel and you can imagine how they feel right now.

By the way here is a very rare interview for late journalist Anthony Shahid before 2 hours of his murder in Idlib , Syria. 

Anthony Shadid’s last interview

Link :

Bab Amr’s entry in Wikipedia “AR”

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Syria,Politics,National Security,Bab Amr,Marie Colvin,Anthony Shadid,Syrian Arab army,Free Syrian army,Mideast,Follow up

This is how Cairo looked in the morning

Cairo had today one hell of a dust storm in the morning that we have not seen from yeas if I am not mistaken.

From the window of my dear sweet friend Miral

Road to civil State : The Presidential elections got a date now

The Supreme committee of the presidential elections has announced that the upcoming presidential elections in Egypt will be held on next 23rd and 24th of May 2012.
The announcement of the results will be announced on May 29th , 2012.
The runoffs will be held on 16th and 17th June 2012  , the final results will be announced on June 21st ,2012.
The registration for presidential elections will start on March 8th,2012 for 10 days. The campaigns officially start from April 30th to May 21st.
The Egyptians abroad will start voting around the globe from May 11th ,2012 for 7 Days.
The presidential elections campaigns’ budgets are not to exceed LE 10 million.
Now it is worth to mention that we are currently having more than 10 potential presidential candidates now.

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalsim,Egypt,Politics,Elections,National,Presidential elections 2012,Follow Up,Democracy

#Siwa is on Fire

And Siwa is on fire , oh yes it turned out that there has been a fire in the beautiful faraway oasis since afternoon and the firefighters could not put out that up till now.
The fire started at all one of the farms in a village called Manshadat and thanks to the strong dust winds we are having today across the country the fire spread. The firefighters failed to put out the fire. It has already destroyed more than 30 acres.

The fire as capture from several hours "Twitter"

According to the reports coming there not less than 2200 palm trees have been destroyed in the fire. The army has evacuated two villages from the families as the fire is reportedly advancing towards these villages.

Nile University and Zewail City of Science , the same old Egyptian problem

When Ahmed Zewail won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999 and got that hero reception in Egypt , he spoke about having this city of scientific research in Egypt like the Silicon valley. It was something great for sure but everybody knew that it would not be achieved in time of Mubarak because simply Mubarak did not give a damn for our scientific research advance or development.
Still in 2000 The Zewail city of science and research’s corner stone was set up in a location in 6th of October area and 300 acres were allocated to that project. It was too good to be true then the project faced a lot of red tape and bureaucracy and in the end Zewail left and returned back to the States.
Nile University or NU is a non profit university founded by Egyptian foundation for technological education Development “EFTED” in July 2006 and has been working since then with its headquarters in “The Smart village”. Then Former PM Ahmed Nazif re-allocated 127 acres from Zewail city’s land to NU which witnessed a lot of problems in those 4 years.

#Syrian Revolution : It is complicated “1”

I consider Syria as my country , it is not my second country as it is the extension of Egypt in the North , many Egyptians believe that and many Syrians believe that also. Some will say that this is part of the Nasserite legacy and short UAR experience , well I think this is the from the few good things we are inherited the Nasserite legacy then.

Speaking from political views , since Ancient times Egyptians considered Syria as part of our national security , our security in Egypt starts from the Tartus mounts.So when I speak about Syria and its people , I speak about people. For the past months I have been covering the Syrian revolution’s news without reflecting all my thoughts, I think I will take time some of your time and reflect them now as matters develop rapidly whether inside or outside Syria.

Stuck in the middle

What is taking place in Syria now is not good after all those months of deliberate delay to save the Syrian nation from the the El Assad. This deliberate delay was intended by the international community mainly in the West aka the US administration to give El Assad all the time in the world to crack down this uprising that turned in to a revolution and at the same time to have enough time to plan for the new middle east map with all its changes. Again Israel does not want El Assad to go , after all for more than 30 years El Assads did not really want to restore the Golan. The fall of Mubarak and what followed it from protests in the middle east that either turned in to full revolutions or promising uprisings changed a lot of plans when it comes to the Middle East.

Hey Admin , Focus on Friedman’s views about Iraq as they were more shocking please !!

The admin of SCAF official FB page has found a new target to attack aside from April 6th Youth movement , The Revolutionary Socialists , the Students of AUC and MP Ziad Elliemy , the admin of SCAF is attacking the famous NY Times columnist and so-called Mideast expert Thomas Friedman.
In a letter to Friedman written in Arabic titled “To Thomas Friedman, my regards” the enigmatic personality administrating the SCAF official page slammed Friedman accusing him of kissing Mubarak’s ass  after Friedman’s Op-ed from couple of days ago “Egypt’s step backward”.
In “Egypt’s step backward” Friedman attacked minister of international cooperation Faiza Abu El Naga and SCAF because of the NGOs trial reminding us with the bad economic status of Egypt. I do not like Friedman or his views or his Op-ed as usual but we have to say the truth that he did not mention the Muslim brotherhood at all or Field Marshal Hussein and co. directly in his unneeded Op-ed like what the Mr.Admin has claimed.
It is worth to mention that MENA published a report last week calming that Friedman was praising Abu El Naga !! I think they pulled it back.

Aswan Chronicles : Day One “Part Three at Kitchener's Island"

This is the 3rd part of my Day One’s Aswan Chronicles series of post, you can check the Aswan Chronicles Day One: Part one about Aswan High Dam and Part two about the amazing Island of Philae.

The Aswan plants island aka Kitchener’s island needs more attention, it is like a forgotten piece of paradise in Egypt. 

I can’t imagine how this island will be like in the time of Spring !! I want to be there.

Aswan: Kitchener’s Island “2012”

I did not stay for a long time there but I saw amazing long trees from around the globe on this island. Thank Goodness it was not an Island in Cairo or Giza, God knows what would happen to this island. I do not think all military commanders were like Lord Kitchener when it comes to that amazing hobby. The view is amazing from there. I mean in Egypt now any police or general retired general would sell such beautiful island for the highest price !!

The CSF Riots Anniversary and the enemy within

On February 25,1986 Egypt witnessed a rebellion among the central security forces that terrorized Cairo and Giza and forced Mubarak to order the army to restore security and crack down that CSF revolution in a decision he would not take it except after nearly two decades.

The official story most 1980s and 1990s generations do not know

Officially the story had started on February 25,1986 Tuesday when thousands of CSF conscripts armed stormed out angrily in a complete rage from their camp in Haram area destroying whatever in front of them including the famous Movenpick hotel . Then they set the Haram Police station , Holiday Inn Sphinx , Mena house hotel as well couple of big stores in the famous long street on fire before completely occupying Haram district and blocking the Cairo Alexandria road in a declare sign of mutiny.
It turned out that the night before there was that rumor spread like fire in the camp : Their 3 years service was prolonged for another year and their salaries will be reduced. “Some source say it 2 years”
In the early morning of February 26, 1986 Former/Ousted president Mubarak had declared the emergency status and imposed curfew in the Haram area. He also gave his orders to the army to end the CSF mutiny there by force.Late Field Marshal Abdel Halim Abu Ghazla was the minister of defense then. The army deployed couple of units and for several hours there was fight between those army units and the CSF rebel units ended by the control of the army for couple of hours only.

Tanks in Cairo "1986"

#Syria : Homs , A City Under Bombardment in photos “Karm El Zaitoun”

Here is the 3rd patch of Photos Citizen journalist Mulham Al Jundi had uploaded from the city of Homs in the past 48 hours. He uploaded over 100 photos on February 23, 2012 from Homs.

He took photos from Karm El Zaitoun neighborhood that seems to be deserted except from few locals who are considered in my point of view as the perfect example for the famous phrase “Life Goes On” !! Karm El Zaitoun had its share from the security offensive in the city , it seems that El Assad’s security forces are moving from one place or another.

From what I see there is no strong military presence from the photos but there are snipers over the rooftops like a reminder for the people there not to protest. Our friend Mulham was shot in his leg by one of these snipers , I fear on him as he became well known to the media.

#Syrian Revolution : Conferences Here and There while people are getting killing “Graphic +18”

Tunisia is having this conference of “Friends of Syrian people” which I have my own concerns about because simply those friends are only friends of their political and economic interests.
Now when someone like Suhair Atassi could not travel to that meeting because the ministry of interior in Tunisia says that she needs official documents from Syria then I must wonder who are attending this conference. Up till now the friends of Syria are calling for Peace keepers. This is so Iraq/Lebanon scenario. The Syria’s friends will consider the SNC as the official representative of opposition !!
The SNC has presented a vision for Syria after El Assad proposing the idea of having a presidential council presenting all national leaders as well a council for reconciliation with the past.
The Tunisian president is offering asylum to El Assad in return that he would step down from rule , without doubt Bashar El Assad will refuse Marzouky’s offer. I think after this generous official offer from Tunisia to El Assad , Tunisians should not be angry from the Saudis from hosting Ben Ali.
Anyhow the Saudi government has already withdrew from the conference because they wanted actions and not just talks.
Moving from this meeting in Tunis which for sure has refreshed the Tunisian tourism sector for awhile , we go to Cairo where Hamas has officially denounced El Assad regime after long years of support officially in none other than Al Azhar mosque. Yesterday former Prime minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas stood in the head of Al Azhar and declared his full support to the Syrian people in that protest organized and sponsored by Al Azhar to support Al Aqsa Mosque as well Syrian people.

Cairo : Ismail Haniya salutes Syrians

Now leaving the big piece of cake that is being cut in Tunis and the big speeches in Cairo yesterday 103 Syrians so far were killed and three massacres were committed according to the Local Coordination committees in Syria.

#Jan25 : We will not Forget them indeed Whether in #Egypt or in #Syria

Our martyrs by Amal Samir

For several months ago a group of Egyptian youth from activists , web designers , graphic designers and web developers worked on a website that would include all the names and dates of the Egyptian revolution martyrs in silence and On January 25th,2012 the beta version of this website was launched.
This website’s name is : Lan Nanashom which means in English We will not forget them.
The website includes a photo for the martyr , his or her date of death as well where it happened. The database of the website includes the #Jan25 18 days martyrs , Maspero clashes Martyrs, Mohamed Mahmoud clashes martyrs , Cabinet clashes martyrs and Port Said stadium massacre martyrs. “Hopefully they will be the last”. The faces of the martyrs shows how it was really a true EGYPTIAN revolution representing all the classes and areas in Egypt.
There is another section for revolution injured the website team is working on , of course I think it is too difficult to do , the number of injured is too high.
The Website needs more information indeed and this is why the amazing team behind is asking for help for everybody who knows martyr or injured and wants to add him or her to the database to contact them on : contactus@lan-nansahom.org
Now as we have this amazing website I must hint out to its twin website in Syria : The Syrian martyrs
The website does not include detailed information about the martyrs especially we are speaking about 8,000 martyrs increasing by 100 martyrs everyday now , still those amazing boys and girls behind it updated with family names , locations  governorates as much as they can.
Just like in Egypt , the Syrian martyrs represent the Syrian society with all its sects , classes and background from north to South , from East to West.
Unlike the Egyptian martyrs website , the Syrian martyrs website provide statistics about the number of Syrian martyrs as its database is updates every two days.
Whether Egyptian or Syrian , Whether Libyan or Yemeni or Bahraini we will never forget our martyrs indeed.

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Egypt,Syria,Politics,Martyrs,Society,Websites,Geek,Web2.0,Human rights,Arab Spring,Revolutions

Breaking : Dr. Abdel Moneim Abu El Fatouh is attacked "Updated"

Potential Presidential candidate Abdel Moneim Abu El Fatouh has been attacked from short awhile ago at the ring road in New Cairo.
He was attacked in his way back from a public meeting in Monufia by masked assailants who stole his car and hit him and his driver. They hit the potential presidential candidate with the back of a gun.
News reports said that the famous former member of Muslim brotherhood is suffering from head concussion while his driver was badly hurt , well this is untrue because according his son , his niece and even to those who spoke to him directly Dr. Abu El Fatouh is fine and currently undergoing medical tests at New Cairo hospital and his driver’s injury is not big.He may spend the night at hospital just to make sure everything is ok according to the procedures.Update : Dr. Abu El Fatouh is currently at his house at 11:59 AM CLT according to his campaign.
 Update : Here is a photo for his driver Mostafa whom I think he looks fine.

Mostafa by Ahmed Ossama

#Syrian Revolution : Homs , a City under bombardment “Part 2”

Here is the second batch of Photos Mulham El Jundi manages to upload online from Homs despite the bad internet connection in the past 48 hours. Please spread them.

These photos are even much worse and shocking than the first batch , it is like seeing Bosnia war torn towns and what is scary in these photos is the streets and buildings look like our streets and buildings in Egypt.

These photos were shot on February 22nd and there are more photos Mulham will upload online.

The last thing Mulham has announced online was that the Syrian Free army was planning for a military offensive against El Assad forces  , a step that is considered as an escalation in the fight between the two factions of Syrian army.

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Syria,Photos,Politics,Follow Up,Human rights,war,Mulham Al Jundi,Homs

#Syrian Revolution : Kick out El Assad’s thugs from our Country

Young Syrian activist Hadeel Kouki is currently living Cairo away from home in Syria. The Young activist received death threat yesterday and today morning thugs attacked her at her house. Those thugs working for El Assad regime attacked her at her apartment and beat her up badly.
Here is Kouki earlier this morning

Hadeel beaten

and Kouki before she was beaten !!!!!!!!!

Hadeel Kouki is from the few Christian activists who are standing against El Assad regime. I think Kouki should apply for political asylum immediately in Egypt and register in the UNCHR as soon as possible.  
Kouki was arrested by the Syrian regime for three times. Now Kouki is wanted by Syrian intelligence for bringing medical aid to the people of Idlib.

#Syrian Revolution : Homs , the City under bombardment in photos

Very few managed to send photos from Homs especially with the imposed media and security siege in the city.

A young Syrian human right activist and citizen journalist managed to get in to the city and to send dozens from photos showing several parts of the city like Bab El Saba’a. The city looks like a ghost city yet strangely the scene of young falafel seller and vegetables mini-market , life goes on indeed.

These photos are taken by Mulham Al Jundi whom I praying for his safety  , in fact after knowing what happened to Marie Colvin and Rami Ochveli I wish that he keeps his profile as anonymous as much as he can. I am so worried on him to the level I feel uncomfortable of mentioning him because a news blogger and reporter , I know the danger he is currently facing.

Our young brave man in Homs will post more photos and I will gather them to post them later here ISA.

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Syria,Photos,Revolution,Homs,Hims,News,Regional,Arabs,Cities

#Syrian Revolution : What do you expect in a war zone ? “+18 Graphic and Updated”

Today the West was shocked after knowing that two Western journalists have been killed after their media center has been shelled earlier this morning. There are other journalists and reporters including number of Syrians. The two journalists are French photographer Remi Ochli and British famous journalist Marie Colvin. Both of them are war correspondent veterans
From less than 24 hours Colvin spoke to both BBC on the horrors she witnessed in Homs including seeing a baby dying. “A normal scene now after all the horrors recorded there”  This is the final report for Colvin in Homs published in Sunday Times
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe has confirmed death of Remi Ochile in violence in Syria. The 28 years old French photographer has already won the first prize in general news stories at World Press photo for the photo he had taken in Libya were among the best photos in 2011. Update : The Syrian government says that it can’t protect journalists who sneak in to the country illegally and that the foreign journalists should register at the immigration department to legalize their presence !!
Photos emerged for both late Colvin and Ochile in Egypt. Here is a photo showing late Colvin in Tahrir square , in February 2011.

Late Calvin in Tahrir square

Here is a photo for Ochile in one of the Mohamed Mahmoud street clashes.

Late Ochile in Mohamed Mahmoud clashes

According to activists from Homs , the security forces shelled the house where Calvin and Ochile were staying after one of them used a mobile phone , of course when I connect dots I will reach to target conclusion that late Calvin and the rest of the journalists became on the radar of the El Assad regime after her reports from inside Homs especially that last one.
This video below is shot allegedly from short awhile ago in Homs showing what is believed the house or the media center where Colvin and Ochile were staying , I do not know if these bodies appearing in the video clip are there or not.

Homs / Baba Amr : The alleged house of Colvin and Ochile

Here is another video also allegedly shot from short awhile ago at the same location in Baba Amr.

#Mubaraktrial : Last Chapter in Volume 1

Today after few hours either Judge Ahmed Rafaat will announce the date of verdict’s announcement or will announce the verdict itself in the trial of the century aka the trial of Mubarak.

Mubarak , Habib El Adly , the former minister of interior and 6 of El Adly’s assistants can face to death penalty if they are found guilty of giving orders to security forces to shoot the protesters in the early days of the revolution. If they are found guilty , there will be an appeal for sure.

Mubarak is facing two charges : Giving orders to shoot the protesters and taking bribes from Hussein Salem. Both of them especially in the shooting of the protesters case depend upon circumstantial evidence.

The shooting of the protesters case is built around the fact that Mubarak was the head of the supreme council of Police and Supreme council of armed forces from January 25th to February 211th 2011 and that the minister of interior can’t use live ammunition without his orders.

#KhadersVictory4Palestine: A Small step but a big hope

Khader's father thanks God

And the Israeli supreme court has ordered the suspension of Khader Adnan ‘s detention and his release in April 2012 after 66 days of hunger strike that revived the Palestinian hope.
Adnan has ended his amazing hunger strike today after a deal between his lawyers and the Israeli authorities. Adnan managed to make bad noise for the Israelis.
Amnesty International issued a statement today urging the Israeli authorities to release Adnan immediately saying that the decision of the court was insufficient. 
Now I can’t hide my admiration with the strength and power of Randa Khader , of course I am not surprised because Randa is a Palestinian lady and standing bravely in front of hardships is not a strange thing for the Palestinian women , in fact I think they are already born with that quality.
This small deal or rather victory has brought a hope you can’t imagine to the Palestinians at least from what I see on the social networks. Adnan managed to make the world remember the Palestinian cause after months of forgetting it in the Arab spring tsunami. I can’t hide my happiness for this victory.
I can’t also hide my anger towards the Egyptian tweeps as well Maikel Nabil who has been similar experience and yet did not bother to write a single tweet as far as I could all that time about Adnan !!
Now regarding hunger strikers , well you will be surprised to know that Adnan was not the only man on hunger strike for his freedom in the Middle East because we also have Bahraini human rights activist Abdel Hady Al Khawaja who has entered his 14th day in his hunger strike in his prison. Al Khawaja is objecting the mistreatment in the Bahraini prison. He is suffering from bleeding kidney already.
Moving to Iran we got blogger and political activist Mehdi Khazali who has been on a hunger strike for 45 days now objecting his detention. Khazali is opposing the Iranian government.

Technorati Tags: Khader Adnan,#KhaderAdnanVictory4Palestine,Mehdi Khazali,Abdel Hady Al Khawaja,Bahrain,Iran,Palestine,Human rights,Israel

#Jan25 year later in Video

And I have managed at last to upload the video scenes I recorded in Tahrir square last January 25th 2012 to YouTube after nearly a month of facing difficulties due to the big size of the video. “Despite it is only few minutes”

#Jan25 : Year later in Tahrir square

To refresh your memory I recommend to read this post I wrote on that special day while covering the first anniversary of #jan25

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Egypt,#Jan25,Politics,Egyptian Life,Video,Media,National,#Jan25two

Aswan Chronicles : Day One “Part Two at Temple of Philae"

This part two of my Day one in Aswan Chronicles, you can read my first part here.

Already I visit so many places on Day one and took 4 GB of photos and videos, so you can imagine how I am trying to organize and edit everything properly before uploading and publishing it.

There was a very small number of foreign tourists in the city despite it is a golden season for Aswan now, the city is surviving on the local tourism. The Esna lock strike was devastating to the industry according to our tour guide as the city depends on the Nile Cruises.

He also told us that thousands of irrigation workers and employees are threatening to cut again the channel by the end of the month if their main demand is not met: To be fully appointed.

They suspended their strike after the massacre of Port Said.

Some tour guides do not like the revolution as it harmed their business.

The beautiful island of Philae is more than great as you will see in the photos. I am speechless after visiting it. I took over 100 photos there and I think you should bookmark this set in order to enjoy it. Please browse till the end as I spent hours uploading it !!

Will 2012 be the year of the Algiers’ revolution ?

According to political analysts and observers that year of 2012 will witness changes in Algeria as the tsunami of the Arab spring will hit it sooner or later. Of course when we speak about Algeria , we are speaking about a true military state with a bloody past of civil war between the Islamists and the army.
Now yesterday the protests have broke again in the capital “Algiers” in a poor area called Dergna between protesters and the security forces after the death of a little baby girl because of the cold weather and poverty. It seems that the living conditions are the common factor in several of the recent protests in Algeria. Dergna already witnessed protests and clashes in 2011.
According to Algerian El Khabar newspaper the protesters are from the locals who were protesting the live conditions in the area demanding to be transferred in another place. The newspaper mentioned that there are 700 families living there with no water or electricity or gas for 20 days now.

#Syrian Revolution Reaches Egyptian Parliament

Members of the Syrian opposition are attending the session of the Egyptian parliament regarding the Syrian Egyptian relations today. I think they are members of the SNC. These Syrians already had a meeting with the Arab relations committee in the parliament.

The Syrian politicians are overwhelmed with the reception of the parliament. I think I have met one of them at the Syrian tent at Tahrir on last 25 January 2012
That delegation is the first foreign delegation to attend a session of the Egyptian parliament after the revolution. Despite all what You think about this parliament , I think this has a significance meaning , I will remember this scene very well because
This is the first time a foreign flag is raised or even entered the hall of the Egyptian parliament and I am proud that it is the Syrian flag 
The Arab relations committee has reached to the following : 

#KhaderExists : Khader Adnan needs your help

Khader's graffiti over that ugly wall "Activestills.org"

Khader Adnan is a Palestinian man from Jenin, he is currently a prisoner with no charges what so ever in Israel according to something called “Administrative detention” . Objecting his arrest for no specific reason Adnan started a hunger strike on December 17th ,2011 that he has not ended till this moment.
Adnan has entered his 65th day in the hunger strike , he is currently hospitalized to the Zif medical center in Safad as his health is deteriorating rapidly. Of course we know as medical fact he can’t go on his hunger strike for more than 70 days. 
The administrative detention in Israel allows Israelis to hold Palestinian prisoners without charging them, and potentially indefinitely. There are allegedly 300 Palestinian detainees in the administrative detention system in Israel You read more about it here .
Several human rights organizations from Palestine as well abroad are supporting his cause and are demanding his release. Already according to the fact his health is deteriorating he is no longer considered a real danger to the State of Israel for God sake.
The Israeli high court has scheduled a hearing regarding Adnan’s case next February 23rd ,2012 , I do not know if the man will make it already or not.

Khader's wife Randa with his two beautiful daughters

Khader Adnan is a graduate of economics , he is married to a lady called Randa , he is a father of two girls and another baby in the way. He works as a baker at a Pita Shop in Qabatiya near his home in Jenin. The only thing that makes him a potential danger to Israel the fact that he is a political activist and a member in the non military branch of Islamic Jihad.
Despite his association to Islamic Jihad , Adnan has not been accused of anything up till this moment officially and he has not even stood in front of a judge to know his guilt.
Randa , his pregnant was allowed to see him last week in the hospital and she has described him as a week caveman handcuffed to the bed beaten and mistreated !!
On the 56th day of his hunger strike , Adnan wrote this in a letter to the world

The Israeli occupation has gone to extremes against our people, especially prisoners. I have been humiliated, beaten, and harassed by interrogators for no reason, and thus I swore to God I would fight the policy of administrative detention to which I and hundreds of my fellow prisoners fell prey

Adnan reported that he was mistreated , insulted and even beaten by the IDF soldiers for refusing to eat his meals.
Randa Adnan is asking the help of the Egyptian people and I think we can help her and her husband a lot if we want.
I hope that Khader Adnan gets international attention like Maikel Nabil , of course my hopes are high and can be dreamy but I have still got faith in this world. Khader Adnan should get support from all of us otherwise we will be hypocrite. “We are actually and strangely we are exposed in the first test”
Anyhow there are active twitter Hashtags dedicated to Adnan and his cause : #KhaderAdnan and #KhaderExists . Amensty International got this petition for his release , despite I do not believe in Online petitions anymore I think trials are good; at least we show the Israeli government that we do care.

Technorati Tags: Khader Adnan,#KhaderAdnan,#Khaderexist,Palestine,Palestinian,Israel,Human rights,Hunger Strike,Prison,Trial,Adminstrative prison,MENA

Hala Misrati is alive and kicking ‘’Not that much”

News came from Libya in the past 24 hours that infamous and notorious Libyan TV personality Hala Misrati has been killed in her prison. Well guess what it is a rumor and here is the former Queen of Libyan TV alive and kicking.

Hala Misrati denies the news of her murder on February 19th,2012

Hala is denying in this video that she was killing adding that she was and is being treated well by the revolutionaries like any other Libyan sister.

Misrati won international fame with her crazy attack on the revolutionaries and freedom forces and her support to Qaddafi regime.

To be honest I am relieved that she is still alive because if she were killed  , this would be a bad omen on the progress of the Libyan revolution that is still facing a lot of challenges.

Technorati Tags: Citizen journalism,Media,Video,Hala Misrati,Libya,POWs,Human rights,MENA

#Syrian Revolution : Egypt recalls the ambassador in Damascus

The official Egyptian TV has announced from short awhile ago that Egypt has decided to recall the Egyptian ambassador from Damascus for consultation in Cairo for further notice. “Follow the official Egyptian MFA account on twitter”

According to ambassador Amr Rushdie , the official spokesperson says that this decision is for the sake of the Syrian people adding that Egypt did not take this decision before because of

Ambassador Rushdie hopes that this will not affect the Egyptian labor in Syria.
It is worth to mention that the People’s assembly is going to discuss today the decision to expel the Syrian ambassador from Cairo. The speaker of people’s assembly has slammed the Syrian regime and said that many MPs presented requests to expel the ambassador and to cut the relations with the El Assad regime because of its massacres against the civilians.
The People’s assembly has cut its relations with the Syrian parliament. The People’s assembly will allow the Arabic relations committee to present its report about Syrian and its recommendations regarding the Syrian revolution.
MP Mamdouh Ismail says that he was being told by the FM’s aide last Friday that the ministry of foreign affairs want the support of the people’s assembly to kick the Syrian ambassador !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! “Since when !?”
It is worth to mention that many of the Islamists MPs are calling for more support to the Syrian revolution against the devilish plans of Shiite Iranian supported regime !!  I do not like this sectarian language and actually I wonder where these MPs are from what is happening in Bahrain.
Some observers considered the shift in the Egyptian position is due the fact that protests have began to spread in Damascus.
Most if not all the GCC states have pulled its ambassadors from Damascus in the past few months. Tunisia has recalled its ambassador and expelled the Syrian ambassador as well.
Now after couple of hours from the decision of the ministry of foreign affairs ,  Damascus has recalled its ambassador after the Egyptian decision.
Moving to the updates in Syria well people are injured and killed as usual like everyday.
The good news of the day is that Razan Ghazzawi and her colleagues arrested from coupe of days ago in Damascus have been released today but unfortunately they are banned from leaving Syria.

#FreeRazan #Syria Sister is home :) but she can't leave the country anymore...they won't allow her :S

— Nadine Ghazzawi (@NadineGhazzawi) February 18, 2012

The attorney general of Idlib has been assassinated today in the city , of course SANA has called that the terrorists “we do not know who they are up till this moment” have assassinated him along another judge in the city.
The clashes and protests have reached to Damascus , which means an important escalation in the Syrian revolution. Today there have been reportedly clashes in the Barza district in Damascus between protesters and security forces. There is also reportedly a full scale strike in the Barza district where all shops and companies are closed there.
On the same time the protests rate in Damascus began to catch up with the rests of the Syrian towns , there is distributing unconfirmed news that the security forces in Syria are threatening the villages surrounding Jisr Ash Shugur city in Idlib .

Moving to Homs , well there is the usual shelling of Baba Amr while tweeps from Homs are saying that telecommunications and electricity are still being cut for hours.

Today the security forces cut the water supply but heavens had another plans as it rained there.

Tweep Mulham Jundi says that the city of Homs needs more doctors in the field hospitals as well supplies in everything you can imagine in the city. Jundi says that there is barely any communication in Homs asking for internet Satellite, already I do not know how this can be smuggled to the city if it is besieged.

Jundi also says that 80% of Homs city is liberated , I am trying to get more information from him.  

#Jan25 : Little Revolutionary art “Updated”

“ I was planning to post this as part of my coverage #Jan25 first anniversary but I had to postponed for some reasons above them is that I am lazy !!Anyhow I hope that you complete reading the post till the end because I have updated today”
#Jan25 has been so inspirational for young generations in Egypt especially when it comes to Arts whether it is music or poetry or literature graffiti art or just paintings , it is like a new horizon opened after years of poor inspiration.
I was stopped in last January 25th revolution anniversary in Tahrir square with these two Tahrir square exhibitions :
The one at the Egyptian museum which was set up by the Youth of the Egyptian museum. It presented murals showing the martyrs as well expressive drawings

and the one at the KFC Tahrir branch. The KFC art exhibition was more revolutionary honoring the martyrs and attacking the security forces , SCAF as well the media with its paintings that were made by arts students.

Here is a small set of photos from there

Aswan Chronicles : Day one “Part One- Aswan High Dam”

As you know last week I went on a small trip to the amazing Luxor and Aswan, it was a good attempt to escape away from all that jazz in Cairo for a couple of days. Of course, I could not keep myself from writing My Aswan and Luxor Chronicles.

As I said before, I got tons and tons of photos and videos and I am starting from tonight uploading them online along with posts or rather remarks from my Aswan and Luxor Chronicles.

Day one “February 8th,2012” :

A visit to Aswan High Dam
I do not understand why or how the security authorities restrict and ban the video cameras in the high Dam when the tiniest point and shot camera and the cheapest Chinese camera phone can record video !!! Already the areas of the dam opened to visitors " the above section" are well known to everybody and there is something called Spy satellite that has been used by ages in the world.

The high dam is great huge project despite all its flaws that can be solved in a way or another. "the mud problem" When you stand there please as you remember late president Nasser, remember the martyrs of the dam project who died while they were building it.

 

Do you know that there are water reservoirs underground used if the water increases more than the limits and the powers of the high dam including the old river reservoir and the Toshka reservoir ?? "According to what I understand from our guide in the tour"

#Libya One year later : It is the beginning of long road

From a year ago the Libyan people began to revolt against the oldest and the craziest dictator in the Arab world crazy Qaddafi not only to restore their freedom but to restore their dignity as well. No country in the Arab world has paid a heavy price for getting rid its dictator like Libya , of course Syria is on its way still after one year it has reached the Libyan status !!!
The Libyans have to be happy and celebrate after one year of months of agony. Andy Carvin went to Benghazi and took these photos showing the Libyans celebrating in the street with their revolution. “Follow Andy on twitter”

Andy Carvin : Libya 2012

Now after one year Libya is promised with even more  challenges than forever , who said that getting from a dictator means the ends of Libya’s problems.Libya is the new Gulf State of Africa , tons of oil , money and small population in a new middle East forming rights in front of us.
Our dear Libyans are now facing several tests , the most important test of them is the unity of Libyan nation when you have officially now armed militias in tribal society.

Leave Anas’ Father alone

Anas Mohi El-Din is the youngest martyr killed in the Port Said stadium massacre , his beautiful face and shabby smile broke the hearts of millions in Egypt especially after knowing how he was killed. He is the last martyr to be featured in graffiti painting all over Cairo and Giza.
His father Mohi El Din Abdel Rahman had appeared on TV last week , in a sports TV show on Dream TV channel where he slammed April 6th Youth movement accusing them of using his son’s murder for their political agenda.

The grieving father accused the movement of using his son’s memorial service to distribute political pamphlets. “I do not know if this is true or not but if it were true and I were Anas’ father or mother , I would be extreme furious”
The man who called the movement “6th Iblis aka 6th Satan” like their opponents wondering about their funding. The angry man even wondered why no one from April 6th Youth movement has been killed in any of the previous clashes in Egypt. Of course the grieving man does not that there were  young men from the movement , from both fronts who were killed  in the past year.

#Syrian Revolution : #FreeRazan is used once again !!

Blogger and human rights activist Razan El Ghazzawi aka Red Razan has been arrested yet again by Syrian regime authorities from short awhile ago along with 12 human rights activists working the one of the Freedom of expression human rights center.

Among the names of the rest of the human rights activists : Mazan Darwish and his wife Yara Badr , Mohi El Din Eisso.
This is the second time El Ghazzawi is being arrested in Syria. The Syrian American activist was arrested for several days last year.
Here is the last tweet by Razan from 3 days ago in Damascus.

I can't watch more news, I am going to watch a movie tonight. On my bed, with lights off, just me and the movie. #icant

— Razan Ghazzawi (@RedRazan) February 13, 2012

Nadine Ghazzawi ,her sister is on twitter , you can follow her for more updates.

Now according the Local coordination committees in Syria 40 Syrians have been killed so far in Syria. The City of Bloudan was shelled today by El Assad’s Syrian Arab army because its people reportedly opened their houses to refugees from Zabadani and Madaya in Reef Dimshaq.
On the other hand Bambuser has reported that it was blocked in Syria as users there can’t got access or use the video live streaming app through 3G anymore in the country.

@BAMBUSER BLOCKED IN #SYRIA - Syrians can no longer access bambuser.com or use #Bambuser app on Syrian 3G. Pls RT

— BambuserAlert (@Bambuser_Alert) February 16, 2012

Bambuser is from the famous apps used in Syria if we speak about the popularity of Social media apps. It was not used in Egypt in those 18 days like in Syria because simply there is a media blackout. TV channels like Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya news channels use Bambuser to get live broadcast from different Syrian villages and towns
Al Arabiya channel reported today in its twitter account that it is being jammed all day long.
And the UN general Secretary warns of possible crimes against humanity in Syria !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Possible !!! It is not possible anymore ya Pasha !!!!!!!!!!!!

According to the human rights activists in Syria 8,314 Syrians have been killed so far including 537 child and 468 woman not to mention 418 killed under torture !!! All this and we are speaking about possible crimes !!!!!!!

Over 35,000 are reportedly injured and over 65,000 are missing and we are speaking about possible crimes against Humanity !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And this is just the beginning. More updates to come.

#UA07march : For the martyrs rights

Today the Ultras Ahlawy “UA07” movement is having a march  from the Ahly Club to the office of the public prosecutor office to demand the rights of their martyrs in the terrible Port Said massacre.
Today is the two weeks anniversary of that horrible massacre that shocked the whole nation.
The UA07 has issued earlier this morning a set of instructions to their followers regarding today’s march on its official Facebook page.

1. The march will be peaceful.
2. No political or partisan slogans whether chants or banners are allowed.
3. All the UA07 should come in time wearing the T-shirts of the UA07.
4. All the members of UA07 participating in the march should follow the instructions and orders of the UA07 leaders .

It is worth to mention that some of the revolutionary protesting class activists do not like these instructions which strip the march from any political nature.
Ultras Ahlaway and Ultras Devils “The two main Ultras groups of Ahly SC” already issued a statement with the demands of that march. The demands are as followed :

• To hold the ministry of interior and its officials “The minister of interior , the head of Port Said Security directorate and the head of the CSF” sector responsible for all the security of the football game as well the governor of Port Said and the manager of Port Said stadium.
• To purge the ministry of interior and restructure it completely.
• To stop the talk about third party and infiltrators because those who committed these crimes are some of the Al Masry club fans whom they demand the security forces to arrest and punish quickly otherwise they “Ultras Ahlaway” will be put in position to take back their rights by their own hand. 

Road to Civil State : Egyptian presidential elections at the end of May 2012

Minister Mohamed Atia of  People’s assembly and Shura council affairs has announced the following today :

• The presidential elections in Egypt will be held at the end of May 2012.
• The registration for the presidential elections will start on March 10th, 2012 for for 3 week.
• There will be 45 days for presidential elections campaigning.

More updates to come.

He did not lie !!

Dempsey and Tantawy

Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey reportedly asked the head of SCAF and minister of defense Hussein Tantawy about the future of Egypt during his visit to Cairo from couple of days ago.
Field Marshal Tantawy allegedly answered him with few words

I do not know.

I do not know if that is true or not but I agree with that answer , things are too unclear in Egypt to level that even SCAF does not know what is going to happen in the future or even next week. Uncertainty is the word in Cairo.

Now regarding that crisis between SCAF and the American administration regarding crisis , well history taught me one thing : There is always something in the background we will not know about except after sometime.
The only thing I know for sure is that the US administration does not really care for democracy or human rights as much it cares about keeping the Egyptian army neutralized in the region and the Egyptian regime an ally. 

Technorati Tags: Tantawy,Politics,SCAF,Egypt,America,US,Martin Dempsy,Cairo,Post Revolution,MENA

The agony of Port Said

 We are cursed city since the time of Mubarak , we thought that our luck will change after the revolution but it doesn't seem so

A man from Port Said told me that in Aswan from couple of days ago when he spoke on how Port Said has paid a huge price after the Port Said massacre from two weeks ago.

Port Said in 1956

After standing defiant against the attack of two countries in 1956 and paying a huge price the cities of Suez and Ismailia would pay later after a decade , the once cosmopolitan city emerged after the Suez crisis in Egypt as the brave city in time of Nasser. It was sad enough that we have forgotten the 5th of November anniversary in 2011. 
The city was flourished economically in time of Sadat when it became a free zone area , Port Said had it all till time of Mubarak. Despite famous financiers of NDP were from Port Said's big businessmen tycoons yet the city was losing more and more of its glory in time of Mubarak after having all the capabilities of becoming a next Dubai or rather the original Dubai.
Mubarak decided to cancel the Free Zone area in Port Said last decade , at first the Port Said people though it has to do with the so-called assassination attempt of Mubarak "The man actually didn't want to kill him , he only wanted to give him a message but Mubarak's bodyguards shot him down and needed a justification in front the world" but it has to do with Gamal Mubarak and friends' little project in East Port Said port. 
After the revolution the people of Port Said had high hopes that the Free zone will return once again and the trade will flourish with all the hopes we has after the revolution but what you know after one year of ousting Mubarak, Egypt made world history once again unfortunately in the sad way this time : The Port Said stadium massacre or the worst clashes in history of football.

Senior Salem ,you are not Egyptian indeed

I'm Spanish, my children are Spanish, my grandchildren are Spanish. We here long, have become friends, have done business. And the accusations coming from Egypt are politically motivated

Salem ,the sick old man "EPE"

That was what Hussein Salem had said from two days ago at the criminal division of the national court in Madrid , Spain
Salem who will be extradited to Cairo claimed in front of the court that he only used that the Egyptian passport when he travels to Mecca.
I have one thing to say to Salem and his family : Egypt does not need you and the Egyptian passport should not be carried by someone like you at all. Already if it were not for Egypt and its fortunes you enjoyed and abused since the 1960s , you would not be able to travel to Spain in the first place !! 
The Spanish passport should not be carried by someone like Hussein Salem and his family as well.
I do not know already if Salem is following his old friend Mubarak's steps and pretending to be an old sick man to win a sympathy in the court or what !!
The accusations of Salem are not politically motivated but rather justly motivated. In fact Salem should be very thankful because he is being accused of very light charges when it comes to his corruption.
Here are clips showing Salem and his family in Spanish court.

CBC : Hussien Salem and family in Spanish court

 By the way from very reliable source : Do not believe the interviews of Hussein Salem in Rosa Al Youssef , they are  fabricated.
Technorati Tags: Egyptian,Egypt,Europe,Politics,Corruption,Citizen journalism,Video,Egyptian Faces,Hussein Salem,Madrid

#Studentstrike : At Cairo university "2nd day"

 So I went today to Cairo university "CU" my university today to see what is going there in the strike and amazingly I expected my university is less revolutionary than the Ain Shams university despite its share in the revolution Martyrs and the anti-SCAF graffiti all over its old building anti- SCAF , Ultras and April 6 youth movement graffiti".
Somehow the university seemed to be normal to me when I went , may be things more intense after I had left or it had bee more intense before I went as I expected the university to be less crowded thanks to the image in my mind but I should have known better when it comes to the big number of students in CU .

Officially this is the second day in the strike as well the second day after the end of the mid term vacation.
The faculty of economy and political sciences " FEPS" is the only faculty in the CU that officially goes on strike for two days in solidarity with the students according to a statement issued by its head on Saturday. The complete staff is joining the students in their strike from what I understood unlike in other faculties in the university. The professors in the FEPS joined the students and a group of them held a lecture this morning to discuss the difference between the strike and civil disobedience to the students. The FEPS students held today a funeral prayer dedicated to the Martyrs as well a protesting stand in their faculty before heading in a march to the CU dome hall chanting anti military rule slogans.

Apologies from blogger

 I apologize sincerely and honestly and ...you name it for not posting anything on the blog for days now. I have just returned from an amazing small tour in Luxor and Aswan where I had spent 4 days in the amazing Nile with poor Internet access "to be honest I tried to avoid any contact with politics from near or far in these days". The good news is that I got my Aswan and Luxor chronicles with loads and loads of photos and videos "Coming soon insh Allah"

Now after returning to Cairo , I found out that my internet router "TE Data" is completely dead with no power access which means I have to visit the nearest "TE Data" branch to see what the problem is with my router that is still in the warranty !!! 

There are lots of things now I want to speak about but I am stuck as you can see so please forgive me and wait for more chronicles insh Allah.