Egyptian forces raid on Turkish news agency bureau, detain journalist

CAIRO - Anadolu Agency

Egyptian soldier keeps watch from the top of an army armoured personnel carrier (APC) at the entrance of Tahrir Square on August 18, 2013 in Cairo. AFP Photo

Egyptian military forces raided the Cairo bureau of Turkey's Ihlas News Agency on Aug.20, detaining the bureau chief, while also extending the custody period of a reporter for state-run TRT.

The military government's forces detained the Ihlas bureau chief, Tahir Osman Hamdi, and seized the agency's live broadcast equipment.

Hamdi was subsequently taken into police custody.

Tourists released after short detention

Two Turkish tourists, who were detained in Egypt’s Luxor province, have been released after a short detention by the Egyptian security forces.

Ali Han, 52, and Ahmet Keris, 42, were recording a video in forbidden historical places when they were arrested, Anadolu Agency reported. The two men were reportedly geology researchers.

Meanwhile, Egyptian authorities have extended the custody period of state-run TRT reporter Metin Turan to two weeks after he was detained on Aug. 17 in al-Fath Mosque in Cairo.

Egyptian authorities accuse Turan of “acting together with terrorist groups,” according to daily Hürriyet.

Turan defended himself, saying his only intention was to report on the events. “I went to al-Fath mosque with other colleagues to report. I didn’t have any other intention than journalism. I was stuck in the mosque after the events erupted,” the Turkish journalist said in his defense.