A Google marketing chief has been hailed as the hero of Egypt’s uprising against President Mubarak, after he launched a major Facebook campaign that inspired millions to take to the streets two weeks ago.
Wael Ghonim, Google’s head of marketing for the Middle East and North Africa, has just been released after spending 12 days, blindfolded, in government detention. He dubbed the protests “the revolution of the youth of the Internet”.
He disappeared after January 27, when public protests against Mubarak began. The company launched a public appeal for information about him last week.
During an interview with an Egyptian television channel on Monday night, Ghonim cried when shown pictures of the dead. His Internet-based movement was intended to be a peaceful one.
“I’m not a hero, but those who were martyred are the heroes,” he said and then broke into a chant of “Mubarak, leave, leave”.
Although Ghonim says he “just typed on a keyboard”, he added: “Eight months ago when I started ‘We are all Khaled Said’ I felt strong,” referring to a movement centred on a young man beaten to death by police, “now, I feel stronger”.
Ghonim said: “Today our dreams are coming true. These guys who showed up on the 25th are all Facebook guys. I see them in the streets and they say, ‘It’s all about Facebook.’ ”
