Westerners Among Al Jazeera Staff Charged in Egypt for Terrorist Activity

[Purveyor]

By Salma El Wardany - Jan 29, 2014

Egypt’s authorities pressed charges of joining a terrorist group against 20 staff members of the Arab television channel Al Jazeera, including an Australian, two Britons and a Dutch citizen.

The defendants, the rest of whom are Egyptian, are also charged with spreading false news that endangers national security and harms Egypt’s image, according to a faxed statement from the prosecution yesterday. It said they used two suites in a luxury hotel in Cairo as a media center to pursue those aims.

The prosecutors said the defendants “fabricated footage” to create “unreal scenes” and give the impression to the outside world that “the country is witnessing a civil war.” It said their efforts were intended to serve the interests of the Muslim Brotherhood, which was declared a terrorist group by Egyptian authorities last month.

The Brotherhood has been the target of an unprecedented crackdown since Egypt’s army toppled elected Islamist President Mohamed Mursi in July. Many of its top leaders are on trial, including Mursi, and hundreds of supporters have been killed by security forces as they protested the military intervention.

Al Jazeera is owned by Qatar’s ruling family, who are among the main supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood in the region, and backed Egypt with financial aid during Mursi’s one-year presidency.

more...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-29/egypt-presses-terrorist-charges-against-al-jazeera-staff.html

[Scootaloo]

1. Well, this is what so many DU'ers wanted, when they cheered for violent coup

Of course if you ask them they'll totally Schultz out of it - "I KNOW NUZZINK!"

[Purveyor]

3. Oh...it wasn't a 'coup', remember? /sarcasm off eom

[Scootaloo]

4. Oh, that's right. it was a liberation!

[Thinkingabout]

2. Intelligence is working hard to try and stop terror before it happens, those involved works very

Hard, they deserve praise.

[Maedhros]

5. They deserve praise for arresting journalists?

There's really no other way to look at that other than pro-fascist.

[Thinkingabout]

7. Can you assure the world journalists are not assisting in anyway to the terrorist cause?

[Maedhros]

8. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?

Is that Barbara Bush as your avatar? If so, it sure fits.

[Thinkingabout]

9. Can you answer the question or should I take from a non answer you are not able to assure

Journalist never aids in terrorism?

[Maedhros]

10. Did you even read the source?

When asked what the men had been charged with, Mr Sadek told Channel 4 News that the journalists were "not working under the law and breaking the law by not being accredited".

They were committing that most heinous of "terrorist" crimes, not being accredited.

"They just start filming without any permission from any authority, which is something against the code of media in Egypt", said Mr Sadek.

FILMING WITHOUT PERMISSION! THOSE MONSTERS!

They have also been charged with breaking the law by editing material in a way which "would make Egypt look like it is in civil war or that there is a crack within society".

Editing material in an unflattering way! MY GOD, THE HUMANITY!

[Scootaloo]

6. Do you even know what you're replying to?

I'm curious, as your response seems more like one of your stock replies to an NSA thread than anything.