The Egyptian army, with more than 768,000 "likes," took to its Facebook page to issue decree no. 27 to order citizens to stop posting classified documents online.

A R A B I C A ارابيكا

By Kristen Gillespie

FACEBOOK CROWD CONTROL

*The Egyptian army, with more than 768,000 "likes," took to its Facebook page to issue decree no. 27 to order citizens to stop posting classified documents online. The ruling Supreme Military Council "calls upon all citizens to surrender possession of documents and papers belonging to the State Security apparatus to the armed forces immediately for necessary action to be taken." While most protesters have been demonstrating outside state security buildings, some have taken to storming inside the buildings to collect secret files that were kept on citizens, specifically members of the Muslim Brotherhood. One file alleges that one of Egypt's highest religious figures, Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, "has been secretly married several times." The stolen documents also show that the state security apparatus believed the United States and Israel were behind the demonstrations that led to the downfall of former President Hosni Mubarak's regime.

LIBYAN SIGNS

*A sign in the windshield of a car parked in Amman features the image of Muammar Gaddafi in military regalia. A Libyan student in Jordan named "Kamal" owns the car, and blogger Abeer Abu Touq waited for the owner to come out and comment on the eye-catching sign. "The colonel will stay," said Kamal. The sign read, "We will burn ourselves so that Muammar Gaddafi remains in power." The blogger concluded, "This is the first time I've seen a pro-Gaddafi comment in Amman, especially from one of his own people."

PROTESTS IN JORDAN

*Hundreds of "jihadi Salafis' held a demonstration outside the prime minister's office in Amman to demand that their relatives be released from prison. This is the second protest in little more than a week in which the Salafi Islamists, who actively preach the virtues of violent jihad, demand action from the government. Some of those imprisoned have been held since 1999, reported Al Akhbar. Of the hundreds of prisoners, most have been held without any charges filed or trials held. "There are families who have not touched the hand of their sons for more than 12 years," said Tayseer Abu Abadeh, one of the protesters.

March 7, 2011

photo credit: illustir