Egyptian journalist joins protestors

VIDEO - As the "pursue of foreign reporters" continues in Egypt, a local journalist has been making headline after becoming the heroine of the fighting opposition.

Shahira Amin, a broadcaster on state-owned Nile TV, decided to resign and join anti-government protestors after being prevented from presenting images of masses protesting against President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo's Tahrir Square.

"We were not allowed to report on what was happening in Tahrir Square," Amin told the BBC on Thursday, adding that mentioning the number of protestors was forbidden as well.

"I spent the whole day yesterday at Nile TV and we were just covering the pro-Mubarak rallies, which I thought was ridiculous. I don't want to be part of their propaganda machine. You know, when the system doesn't suit you just walk out."

With a heavy British accent, she told Al-Jazeera that from now on she would be "with the people. I feel liberated and relieved." She said she has been working in television since 1989 and was told that she would "disappear" if she continued to report on certain issues.

Shahira quit Nile TV on a day when many foreign reporters were attacked by Mubarak's supporters, some even detained.

Reuters journalists were beaten up while shooting a story neat Tahrir Square about stores and banks forced to shut down due to the riots. In a separate incident, a Greek journalist was stabbed in the leg by a Mubarak supporter. An eyewitness said a photographer had also been assaulted.

Dozens of journalists were transferred from hotels overlooking Cairo's main square to more distant hotels, and snipers were stationed on the roof of the Ramses Hilton. Twenty journalists were taken into "defensive detention" by the army. In addition, a Danish journalist disappeared at the airport under mysterious circumstances on his way to leave the country.

Mubarak said on Thursday that he wanted to quit but that he feared his resignation would bring chaos to Egypt. But US officials said they were discussing with Egyptians different scenarios for a transition of power, including one in which Mubarak leaves office immediately.

Egypt clashes, Thursday (Photo: AP)

Meanwhile, Egypt's security forces were preparing for another day of protests. Hundreds of thousands of people were expected to arrive at Tahrir Square after the Friday prayers and call on Mubarak to resign immediately. Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq had instructed the interior minister not to intervene in the riots.

A leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's biggest opposition group, said Friday that the group had no ambitions to run for the Egyptian presidency.

Mohammed al-Beltagi also said government representatives who had invited the Muslim Brotherhood to talks on political reform had indicated that the group, which is formally banned, would receive official recognition as a party.

The movement's spokesman in Egyp, Mohamed Morsy, told CNN that Israel was failing to honor its peace treaty with his country. Asked whether his movement would honor the treaty, he responded that it would be up to the Egyptian parliament to decide.

Morsy claimed that the Muslim Brotherhood “are not against the Jews. We are against Zionism." He added that the movement was against violence and was not linked to terrorist elements, but noted that "the Palestinian resistance is acceptable".

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