It’s easy commenting off the web — there is so much material to dredge up and look over; however, it has been for me and much remains journalism’s “second row seat to history”: someone else has to report off the street for one to have anything new to offer, and “the street” is not yet adequately digital, at least not without a budget and lot of ways of paying for — and vetting — information!

Today, Facebook boasts a “Free Ahmed Meligy” public page, and there are other networks, but there’s no getting “an official says” from them.

And what to do with this sort of chatyping sequence?

Thread #1: “Dear Friends we also opened an official Facebook page for Ahmed because we think that publicity is the best tool to save him… but we still need more information . . . .”

Thread #2: “To All: We have word that, pending an investigation, Ahmed will be released within 2-6 weeks. We can give you no further information, other than he is in custody and asks that we not do anything to jeopardize this process . . . .”

One flustered Facebooker noted, “I am confused, other pages are asking us to contact human rights groups and get him help . . . .”

A sea captain might say, “Bilge talk,” and that’s where Facebook’s curious on this matter may be stuck.

News of blogger Ahmed Meligy’s arrest has not been the least confined to his circle of Facebook buddies.  The Jerusalem Post has posted the story [1] and repeated it  in a separate story [2]; I’m not the only personality to blog on it; and, of course, word gets around in the human rights and free press communities.

Once the “cat’s out of the bag” it doesn’t go back in, so while today’s story may be mumbling around the swamps of assertions, rumors, and suggestions, it will come out.

In the meantime, dig this statement from one of the Egyptian president’s aids:

“There will be no such thing as Israel,” he continued, “instead there will be Palestine which will be home to Jews, Muslims and Druze and all the people who were there from the start.

“Those who want to stay will stay as Palestinian citizens. Those who conquered Palestine will have to go back to their countries,” he added.” [3]

Lord have Mursi!

The Ayatollah has competition.

Cited Reference

1. The Jerusalem Post.  “‘Post’ blogger in Egypt reportedly arrested.”  December 31, 2012.

2. Ben Solomon, Ariel and Herb Keinon.  “Egypt extends detention of Israeli ‘infiltrator'”.  The Jerusalem Post, January 2, 2013.

3. Hirshfeld, Rachel.  “Morsi Aide: Israel Will Cease to Exist Within Decade.”  Arutz Sheva, January 2, 2013.

Other Reference

Arutz Sheva.  “Tamar Yonah Inverviews Ahmed Maligy” – June 20, 2012: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Radio/Player.aspx#3#126580

Bresky, Ben.  “Egyptian Activist: “We Were Taught to Hate Israel.”  Arutz Sheva, June 20, 2012.

Dafrawi, Emad el.  “Ahmed Meligy was arrested in Egypt for Supporting Peace with Israel.”  December 31, 2012.

Facebook.  “Free Ahmed Meligy”.

Meligy, Ahmed.  “Egypt: Divided We Fall.”  The Jerusalem Post, November 30, 2012.

Meligy, Ahmed.  Egypt’s Missing Peace Blog, The Jerusalem Post.

Meligy, Ahmed.  “In Egypt you won’t know the facts until you’ve seen the fiction.”  The Jerusalem Post, November 5, 2012.