Manchester man in Egypt 'spying' arrest

[HEPZIBAH]

A warning to all those who try to take photographs in/of Military Establishments/property - even if you don't actually know it is one.

Manchester man in Egypt 'spying' arrest
By Rahila Bano
BBC Asian Network
29 November 2018

A 19-year-old British expat has been arrested in Egypt on suspicion of spying, his family have said.

Muhammad Abul-Kasem, 19, originally from Manchester, was detained in the country on 21 November.

A relative told the BBC he was arrested upon his arrival from Libya after authorities found a photograph of a military aircraft on his mobile phone.

The Foreign Office confirmed a British man had been arrested in the Egyptian port of Alexandria.

Mr Abul-Kasem's family told BBC Asian Network the photograph had been taken through an aeroplane window as it came to land at Alexandria airport.

They said he now faces charges of spying, although no details have been confirmed by Egyptian authorities.

Mr Abul-Kasem had been living in Libya for the past two years, where his father is from, the family said. His mother is from Pakistan.

The Foreign Office said it was seeking more information.

"Our staff are providing assistance to his family," a spokesman said.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-m ... r-46393835

[newcastle]

Unbelievable stupidity.

I wonder why he was detained and his phone examined?

Sounds like he was just ignorant of the fact you aren't supposed to take photos at Egyptian airports....and sensible intervention by the British authorities should see him freed....eventually.

I've often seen tourists, waiting in departures, taking shots of military jets landing at Hurghada....although I wouldn't risk it myself!

[carrie]

There used to be huge warning notices at Luxor airport forbidding the taking of photos there.

[HEPZIBAH]

Carrie, I think he took the photograph from the plane on arrival, either through the window or from the doorway on exit.

[newcastle]

Carrie, I think he took the photograph from the plane on arrival, either through the window or from the doorway on exit.

This Guardian article gives more info.....particularly on why he was targeted at the airport on arrival :

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/ ... ying-trial

[crewmeal]

It seems taking photos of any type of aircraft in the Middle East can be dangerous. Remember those two guys arrested in Dubai for plane spotting?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... rison.html

I have to admit that I took a couple of shots of the Egyptair 737 I flew on when I got to Cairo a couple of years ago.

[Major Thom]

Used to love when living in the UK going to Mildenhall American Air Base and photographing the planes as they were taking off, used to do it every year and got loads of pics of attack planes and helicopters. Mind you they were all modern and not things of history, for those you would go to Shipham Airfield and see antique and old planes flown by enthusiasts such as Martin Shaw.

[HEPZIBAH]

Not arrests... but...

I've been trying to remember if it was in Mali or Niger, but many years ago when I was on African soil for the first time, one of our group had his film removed from his camera and the film destroyed in front of him. His crime? He had taken a typical street photograph - road, buildings, lamp posts, and telephone wires such as they were. He had been seen doing it by police and the lamp posts and telephone wires were considered Government Property and as such should not be photographed.

A few years ago, I was in a fairly large, but non tourist, town in Morocco. Whilst waiting at the car for my friend to return I noticed the traditional water sellers working along the edge of the market. I'd seen water sellers before in Marrakech and in Essaouira, so only ever thought of them in tourist towns. I decided to discretely photograph them, at least I thought I was being discreet. It wasn't long before I was being shouted at an approached, not by angry water sellers but by plain clothes police officers. The checked what I had taken and made me delete a couple of photographs and I was told in no uncertain terms to put my camera away and not get it out again as if I was seen using it again it would be confiscated. Apparently the building in the background was a government office. It looked like any other building in the area to me when I looked at it rather than the market and the water sellers which were in the foreground.

We are so used to being able to photograph anything and everything in the UK that we don't realise that in other countries and cultures it is wise to be more cautious.

[newcastle]

Some years ago I went with a bunch of Egyptian friends to City Stars in Cairo....an exciting, relatively new place then.

I was taking photos all over the place.

In a large supermarket they had an unusual display - I can't recall what of - and my friends posed in front whilst I took their photo

Immediately the manager appeared and demanded I delete the photo. Needless to say I refused , whereupon several staff surrounded us while another went in search of the police! I asked my friends what on earth all the fuss was about....and it appeared the manager thought we might "steal" the unique display idea which was the background to my shot.

Rather than confront the police, I showed the manager my photos...and then deleted the one showing his display in his presence. We were then allowed to leave.

Once outside the store I took great pleasure in beckoning the manager to the window.....and then showing him the offending picture on the camera's backup ....before scuttling off

[Who2]

I once took a picture of Breem from Scheherazade in there standing under a sign,
stating No Smoking and No Pictures.
Prats the Lot.......
Ps: Easy to get lost in City Stars...

[crewmeal]

My worst experience was when I was in Jerusalem and tried to take shots of Hasidic Jews at some sort of college. I was almost set upon by a noisy group who demanded I delete the shots. I was helped by a friend who managed to calm these unsavoury characters by telling them I was a tourist not the secret police. Never again!

[Dusak]

I always take a few photos of Cairo airport and surrounding area when flying out, I entitle them the ''Thank *uck for that'' album.