Six-Months Pregnant Woman Kidnapped in Cairo, Egypt
A six-months pregnant woman was reportedly kidnapped in Cairo Friday in what seems to be a political abduction.
Mona al-Gharib, 25, is wife of Syrian TV anchor Thaer al-Nashef, who received the following text message after her dissappearance: "We have kidnapped your wife, you dirty dog, so you don't insult your master again," CNN reported.
The husband, a journalist covering the spring revolution and a self-described activist, told the station he believes the alleged kidnapping is the work of Syrian intelligence operating in Egypt. He also said he received threats from kidnappers saying they might rape or kill his wife if he went to the media with the story.
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The Egyptian authorities have declared that they will investigate the source of the threatening text messages.
Al-Nashef is a freelance journalist in Egypt and serves as a TV anchor for several networks, CNN reported. Al-Gharib is an Egyptian citizen and a student at Azhar University. She carries the couple's second child.
There was reportedly no immediate response from the Syrian government to al-Nashef's allegations.
The cable news network reported that protesters have gathered outside of the headquarters of the Arab League, beside Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, after news of the alleged kidnapping broke. They later reportedly moved to occupy the local Syrian Embassy.
Media have been reporting on the Syrian government invigilating its citizens -- even those living abroad -- who engage in forms of activism directed against the Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad. Activists across the Arab world, as well as their families, have been invigilated, kidnapped and often "dissappeared," according to some reports.
A June U.N. report, which The Christian Post reported on, detailed the arrest and detention of innocent civilians in Syria in unbearable conditions and other atrocities since protests began in the country on Jan. 26.
The Syrian government has reportedly detained about 10,000 demonstrators since the pro-democracy protests began.
