Another Al-Jazeera Reporter Arrested In Suez: MENA

A reporter for the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera network has been arrested in the city of Suez for inciting and participating in violence, a security source told state news agency MENA on Wednesday.

MENA said that Abdel-Rahman Shahin also reportedly works for the Freedom and Justice newspaper and the TV channel Egypt 25, both affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, from which ousted president Mohamed Morsi hails.

The newspaper was banned after the Brotherhood was designated a terrorist group by Egyptian officials in December, while the TV channel was taken off the air shortly after the announcement of Morsi’s ouster in July.

The source told MENA that prosecutors in Suez have issued nine arrest warrants against Shahin for violent attacks against police and army forces as well as gathering funds to sabotage the state.

Three other Al-Jazeera journalists – Australian Peter Greste, Canadian-Egyptian Fahmy Fadel and Egyptian Baher Mohamed – are already on trial on charges of airing false news.

The 17 other defendants in their trial are accused of joining and aiding a terrorist organisation.

Authorities accuse the Egyptian affiliate of the channel, Al-Jazeera Mubashir Masr, of being biased in favour of Morsi and his supporters and helping them to plot against the country.

Al-Jazeera has dismissed the charges against its staff as “absurd” and “baseless” and has continued to call for their release.

The station has not yet commented on Shahin’s arrest in Suez.

Shahin was expelled from Al-Azhar University before the popular revolt in 2011 on accusations that he had formed an on-campus militia and was later involved in attacks after Morsi’s ouster, MENA added.

Source : Ahram online