Google Exec Missing in Egypt

Head of marketing expressed sympathy with protesters

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Jan 31, 2011 3:54 PM CST

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Google Exec Missing in Egypt — Clerics from Al Azhar Islamic university, some holding their identity cards, chant anti-government slogans during a protest in Tahrir, or Liberation, Square in Cairo, Egypt, Monday Jan. 31, 2011. (AP Photo/Manoocher Deghati)

A Google exec has gone missing amid the chaos reigning in Egypt, the Wall Street Journal reports. Family and friends have been unable to reach Wael Ghonim, head of Google's marketing for the Middle East and North Africa, since 6pm on Friday. While spotty Internet access is making routine communication difficult, the fact that Ghonim's recent online postings show deep feelings of solidarity with the popular opposition give ample cause to fear for his safety.

A tweet from Ghonim dated a week ago explained that he intended to join the protests despite "all the warnings I got from my relative and friends.” Other tweets:

On Wednesday: “A government that is scared from Facebook and Twitter should govern a city in Farmville but not a country like Egypt.”
On Friday: "Very worried as it seems that government is planning a war crime tomorrow against people. We are all ready to die.”

(More Google stories.)

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