Witnesses including Mr el-Jalfy, in el-Jalfy's hand a flag they have been stained with their own blood as a symbol of commitment to the revolution, and a petition they are circulating calling for the release of military officers arrested after joining Tahrir. (Photo: Ahmad el-Gamal)
Eyewitness reports and video posted online indicate that Major Tamer Badr, who had left his post with the Egyptian infantry to join the protests in Tahrir has been arrested.
Al-Akhbar spoke to a group of witnesses including a Abd el-Nasser el-Jalfy, who had been staying with the major in the Ismaliya Guest House adjacent to the square.
He said, and others confirmed, that on Thursday at between 2:30pm and 3pm, a group of armed men dressed in civilian clothes and identifying themselves as military police had stormed the building.
Mr el-Jalfy said he and the Major had been sleeping at the time, and were woken by the commotion in the hotel. He says that while Major Badr gave himself up upon seeing what was happening, he and other revolutionaries attempted to intervene.
El-Jalfy said that when a group of women had attempted to intervene, the soldiers had cocked their weapons, and that when the women persisted in their attempts to stop the arrest that they were thrown roughly to the ground, despite the fact that one of the women was pregnant.
One young woman showed us a bruise on her forehead that she said had resulted from the incident. Another said that the men had attempted to take the phone she was videoing the incident on. They have given similar testimony to Egyptian media.
Mr el-Jalfy said he had been worried that something like this may occur. He and the major stayed awake the previous night after hearing reports of a similar raid on the hotel housing a man he referred to as Captain Amr Metwali (other reports identify him as a major), another soldier who had joined the square.
If this is confirmed, along with reports of Major Ahmed Shoman who has voluntarily handed himself in, it would mean that all three of the military officers who declared their allegiance to the square are now in custody. The Police Lieutenant Colonel Yossr Abdel Hadi, who has also left his post and declared his loyalty to the square, remains free.
Al-Akhbar spoke to a group of witnesses including a Abd el-Nasser el-Jalfy, who had been staying with the major in the Ismaliya Guest House adjacent to the square.
He said, and others confirmed, that on Thursday at between 2:30pm and 3pm, a group of armed men dressed in civilian clothes and identifying themselves as military police had stormed the building.
Mr el-Jalfy said he and the Major had been sleeping at the time, and were woken by the commotion in the hotel. He says that while Major Badr gave himself up upon seeing what was happening, he and other revolutionaries attempted to intervene.
El-Jalfy said that when a group of women had attempted to intervene, the soldiers had cocked their weapons, and that when the women persisted in their attempts to stop the arrest that they were thrown roughly to the ground, despite the fact that one of the women was pregnant.
One young woman showed us a bruise on her forehead that she said had resulted from the incident. Another said that the men had attempted to take the phone she was videoing the incident on. They have given similar testimony to Egyptian media.
Mr el-Jalfy said he had been worried that something like this may occur. He and the major stayed awake the previous night after hearing reports of a similar raid on the hotel housing a man he referred to as Captain Amr Metwali (other reports identify him as a major), another soldier who had joined the square.
If this is confirmed, along with reports of Major Ahmed Shoman who has voluntarily handed himself in, it would mean that all three of the military officers who declared their allegiance to the square are now in custody. The Police Lieutenant Colonel Yossr Abdel Hadi, who has also left his post and declared his loyalty to the square, remains free.
Uprooted Palestinian
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