Online death threats against Egypt\'s political and media figures

List which be published by \"Ansar al-Sharia Brigade Egypt\" page Cairo – Akram Ali A page on social networking website Facebook named \"Ansar al-Sharia Brigade Egypt\" has published a list of over 80 Egyptian political, media, business and public personalities which the page’s owners said will be targeted in the event of “the state collapsing.” Among the names listed are: Yussri Fouda, Khaled Salah, Mohammed al-Amin Malek, Hazem al-Biblawi, Yehia al-Gamal, Tahani al-Gebali, Abulezz al-Hariri, Ahmed al-Zend, Lieutenant General Ahmed Shafik, Hamdin Sabbahi, Dr Mohammed al-Baradei and Amr Moussa.
The names closely match those against whose \"anti-Islamic influence\" the Hazemoun movement - a group which has been conducting a sit-in outside the Media Production City.
Hazemoun is a group made up of supporters of Sheikh Hazem Salah Abu Ismail, a popular hard-line preacher who tried to run for the presidency earlier this year but whose paperwork was turned down by the judicial committee organising the elections.
The page was created on the first of July and includes a message to President Mohammed Morsi, which reads: “Hold firm and do not back down. We are with you, and if any of us are killed, we absolve you of our blood as you are in charge of us, as each era has its sacrifices and we are prepared.”
The page owners and administrators described themselves as “young people of the Dawah who seek to be characterised by the ten descriptions of the Muslim individual.” These they list as being “possessed of a sound doctrine, complete in his worship, mujahid for his soul, careful of his time, organised in his affairs, useful to others, strong in body, sturdy in morals, cultured in intellect and capable of gainful employment.”
A statement published on the page on Monday read: “These are a number of politicians, remnants of the former regime, media personalities, proprietors of some satellite channels and businessmen who are plotting a conspiracy against the president and the state, and who are contributing to the acts of vandalism that took place outside the Ittihadiya Palace through incitement, direction, mobilisation and funding.”
In a comment on the same statement, the page administrators said: “To those who wish to set Egypt alight: the fire you spark shall burn you and will not able to bring harm to Egypt and its people, God willing.”
A number of politicians have cautioned that the page should be taken serious due to the existence of extremist groups that may resort to putting these threats to practice at any time, should the Muslim Brotherhood be toppled.
Writer and al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies expert Diaa Rashwan told Arabstoday that “any kind of threat should be taken seriously” following “escalating events on the part of the Islamists over the past few days.”
Rashwan demanded that Public Prosecutor Talaat Ibrahim investigate the content of the page, locate the individuals running the page and apprehend them on the charges of issuing threats and terrorising political and media figures.
Director of the Arab Network for Human Rights Information [NHRI] Gamal Eid has also remarked that the threats to assassinate certain individuals “in the event of the state collapsing,” indicates in itself “the collapse of the state,” adding it “falls under the heading of terrorism” and “revives the security state in Egypt.”
The individuals listed on the page have not commented on the threats.