Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Security personnel at the site of an explosion outside a military intelligence building in Anshas. AP Photo/Khaled Kandil

Award-winning journalist arrested in Egypt as Muslim Brotherhood labelled a 'terrorist organisation'

Peter Greste, a former BBC journalist currently working for Al-Jazeera, won the prestigious Peabody award in 2011.

EGYPTIAN SECRET POLICE  have arrested an award-winning Australian journalist and an Egyptian reporter for the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera channel on suspicion of illegally broadcasting news harming “domestic security”, the interior ministry said.

Officers of the National Security service raided their makeshift bureau at a Cairo hotel on Sunday, arresting the two and confiscating their equipment, the ministry said in a statement.

It did not identify the journalists, only mentioning that one was a “Muslim Brotherhood member” and the other an Australian.

Their colleagues at Al-Jazeera English identified them as Cairo bureau chief Mohamed Adel Fahmy, and Australian reporter Peter Greste.

The raid came after authorities listed the Muslim Brotherhood movement of deposed president Mohamed Morsi as a “terrorist organisation”, making membership in Islamist group or even possession of its literature a crime.

The journalists “broadcast live news harming domestic security,” the interior ministry said, adding they were also found in possession of Muslim Brotherhood “publications”.

Greste, a former BBC journalist, won the prestigious Peabody award in 2011 for a documentary on Somalia. Fahmy, who formerly worked with CNN, is a well-known journalist in Cairo with no known links to the Brotherhood.

Egypt’s military-installed government cracked down on Al-Jazeera’s affiliates following the overthrow of Morsi in July, accusing the broadcaster of pro-Brotherhood coverage.

Several Al-Jazeera reporters remain in detention, including Abdullah Elshamy, a journalist for the Arab language station arrested on August 14 when police dispersed an Islamist protest camp in Cairo, killing hundreds in clashes.

The government declared the Brotherhood a terrorist organisation last week after a suicide car bombing of a police headquarters killed 15 people.

It blamed the attack on the Islamists, although an Al-Qaeda-inspired group claimed responsibility for the bombing and the Brotherhood condemned it.

© – AFP 2013

Read: Student killed as Egypt police clash with protesters >

Read: At least 14 dead in Egypt police station blast >

Author
View 9 comments
Close
9 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Won Hung Loh
    Favourite Won Hung Loh
    Report
    Dec 30th 2013, 9:22 AM

    Any statement from Clonskeagh?

    56
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sold_off
    Favourite Sold_off
    Report
    Dec 30th 2013, 10:01 AM

    That’s because they are a terrorist organisation. They are the financial support for al queada.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Filthpig
    Favourite Filthpig
    Report
    Dec 30th 2013, 10:15 AM

    Ah, yer an eejit.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Filthpig
    Favourite Filthpig
    Report
    Dec 30th 2013, 11:54 AM

    Bin-laden and al-Zawahiri denounced the Muslim Brotherhood for decades for being too democratic.
    Get your head out your arse, and turn off Glenn Beck while you’re at it!!

    11
    See 3 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Fergus Flanagan
    Favourite Fergus Flanagan
    Report
    Dec 30th 2013, 12:25 PM

    al-Zawahiri was a Muslim Brotherhood member. One of al Zawahiri’s main influences was originally a writer for the MB. Sayyid Qutb. Both Bin-laden and al-Zawahiri were firm proponents of Qutd’s writings and ideas. Considering 3 of the most influential fundamental Islamists had their perspectives shaped by those beginnings in the Muslim Brotherhood it strikes me as over-simplified to dismiss any and all links, simply because they “denounced” them.

    The US denounces human rights abuses, it still does not stop them funding disreputable governments and organisations.

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Filthpig
    Favourite Filthpig
    Report
    Dec 30th 2013, 2:10 PM

    Sold_off said that they’re a terrorist organisation that funds al-queda.
    That’s simply untrue.
    As for Zawahiri et al and their original allegiances: surely the fact that they deemed the brotherhood insufficiently “radical” for them actually illustrates the reality of the difference between them rather than their similarity.
    Would you call
    Gilmore, De Rossa etc communists?
    Mandelson had his beginnings in the communist party too, yet look at him.
    Like them or loathe them they were elected in free elections, as were the MB.
    To label them terrorists to justify the overturning of a legitimately elected government is a bit daft to be honest.

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Filthpig
    Favourite Filthpig
    Report
    Dec 31st 2013, 6:59 AM

    Sayeed Qutb is not to blame for the savagery of Zawahiri OR bin-Laden!!!
    For the love of sanity, you seem to know something about what you’re on about, but if that’s the case then you’d know that AQ wouldn’t pissin the MB and vice versa.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Geraldine Lee
    Favourite Geraldine Lee
    Report
    Dec 30th 2013, 8:58 AM

    Very sad .

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Stephen O'Callaghan
    Favourite Stephen O'Callaghan
    Report
    Dec 30th 2013, 4:05 PM

    muslim brotherood are terrorists although i dont agree with the way morsi was ousted.
    In the paper this morning islam will be the second religion of ireland in a few years. personally i think thats o good thing there are a lot of things i love about islam especially with regards to banking and anti-usery

    3
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds