I am worried

This story worries me. I will be in Dahab in the summer for a couple of weeks diving, then I wanted to go go to Aqaba, Taba and then enter Israel to visit a couple of friends and tour for a couple of weeks. But this guy's profile (creepily similar to mine) who i am sure is no spy what-so-ever is in trouble and his Canadian passport isn't really helpful right now. hmmm...

from BBCnews.com


'Mossad' trial resumes in Cairo
Mohammed al-Attar
The defendant proclaimed his innocence to reporters in court
The trial has resumed in Cairo of an Egyptian accused of spying for Israel.

Defendant Mohammed al-Attar, who has dual Canadian citizenship, denies charges of being a Mossad agent.

The 31-year-old says a confession he made was extracted under torture by Egypt's intelligence services and has asked the Canadian government for help.

Three Israelis also accused are being tried in their absence. The trial began on Saturday but was adjourned when Mr Attar's court-appointed lawyer quit.

"I call on the Canadian government to give me a lawyer and to prove my innocence," Mr Attar told reporters clustered around his cage before proceedings began.

"My confession was under torture," he added.

A former student at Cairo's al-Azhar university, Mr Attar is accused of contacting Israeli agents in Turkey and spying on expatriate Arabs there and in Canada.

Denial

A transcript of his confession seen by a Canadian newspaper said he had recruited gay or impoverished Arabs in Canada for Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence branch.

Mr Attar denies being homosexual, although it was cited as a reason for an application he made for refugee status with the United Nations.

Israeli officials say the Israeli authorities have only learned about the case from the media.

Human rights groups say torture, including sexual abuse, is routinely used by the Egyptian security services during interrogation of prisoners.

The government denies systematic abuse, but has investigated a number of high profile torture cases.

Egyptian cowboys

deep in the countryside of the delta, you find wonders.. I love this shit, I wish you can understand what this guy is saying, It is hilarious and dirrrrty!!!

I love this guy!! my favorite egyptian male belly dancer EVVVVER!

week in review

first I want to start by sending a big fat FUCK YOU to al-azhar for causing an intelligent 22 year old go to prison for 4 years just for being critical!

"Abdel Kareem Soliman's trial was the first time that a blogger had been prosecuted in Egypt.

He had used his web log to criticise the country's top Islamic institution, al-Azhar university and President Hosni Mubarak, whom he called a dictator."

On an inappropriatly different note, this week was unexpectedly shock-full-of-party! my weekend in New York extended until Thursday! Chinese New Year, Mr. Black, NYU, Townhouse !! hilarious experience! I met the editor of a big new york news paper that will remain nameless who had asked me to go to dinner with him then opera the following night! danced my ass off at Mr. Black on sunday which was only backup since Hero had a line too long to stand in, but turned out way better.. Met with Andres from Madrid, was a slightly awkward reunion.. oh and those two guys Caroline and I met in a random gay bar in Osaka, they turned up too and one of them was a freak, apparently obsessed with gogo dancers at Mr. Black who turned out to be like 18! speaking of gogo dancers, Erik was getting raunchy with a hot one at Urge at like 3 in the morning, they both seemed to love it, i was just watching. after a couple of those huge margaritas from foodbar with kevin and erik.. oh my god, and that random persian boy at 4 in the morning who was like see you in the bathroom downstairs before I even know your name.. and who was that christopher erik introduced me, they are dating, but we meet, go to dinner, drinks, then take a cab ride back to bed.. all three.. thats just uncalled for. I need to get it together and get some work done or else!

Kaaboul!!!

Kaaboul épisode 2
Uploaded by rouisk

flashback 1991

diaper included

bumpy road

the bumpy road to Siem Reap. its bumpy.

recollections

it was raining while we were on Ko Tao but the day we were leaving, the weather was perfect.

Nippon - incomplete report

already back, its difficult to think back even just as far back as two days since the actual travel ended. coming home always feels the same, it makes what happened abroad seem unreal, which in retrospect, it usually is.
japan is ... hard to explain I guess.. we did it the right way by going direct to Kyoto then Osaka then Tokyo, making it from a smaller less hectic city to a medium one then a bigger one. biggest surprise in japan was the food: SOOO GOOOOOOD!! and nothing really like what we think of here as Japanese food, as a matter of fact we had to look for sushi, Japanese food happens to be far more exciting and tasty than what we think of it here. Other surprise: Japanese people are sooo nice!!! and down to earth!!! I didn't really expect that to be honest. What wasn't a surprise is that standard of living is very high, these people are generally very privileged. the cheapest coffee is starbucks and there is a very high volume of dior and chanel clothes worn by seemingly normal people. despite the high high standard in dressing and eating, people are so nice. this only brings to mind how things in the states re very very different. it maybe possible to find gourmet supermarkets like dean & deluca to find something close to what is totally standard in Japan but once you step into a dean & deluca it suddenly feels oppressively elitist. at the same time you get people who act snobbish for shopping at whole foods (very sad, if only they knew what is available out there in places like japan) but there are those who think that sporting a starbucks coffee cup is a status symbol (again the cheapest coffee besides Macdonald's coffee in japan) and finally those who justify acting like total bitches because they shop at banana republic or some shit like that (hilarious) THANK GOD, BUDDHA AND ALLAH that people in japan are just better, and these things don't get to them.

However, they are not perfect either. obsession with living their roles as consumers is a bit too much for me to handle. girls go way over board in their 'baby doll' image. they actually have eye-widening surgeries, etc...