Three foreign Al Jazeera journalists were released and deported on Sunday after being held without charge since 27 August. New Zealander correspondent Wayne Hay, British cameraman Adil Bradlow, and Irish producer Russ Finn were on an Egyptian flight to London Sunday evening, reported Hay on social media. Their arrests came days before the 30 August raid on Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr offices by government officials, who confiscated equipment and shut down the Qatari-based satellite news network. Since the 25 January Revolution, Al Jazeera has been seen by many Egyptians as being supportive of the Muslim Brotherhood. A 28 August statement issued by the Ministry of Investment, Information and Communications Technology and Media declared Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr illegal for operating without the correct permits. Three other Al Jazeera journalists are still being detained in Egypt: cameraman Mohamed Badr was arrested on 15 July for "threatening national security," correspondent Abdullah Al-Shami was arrested on 14 August for possession of weapons while covering the sit-in dispersal at Rabaa Al-Adaweya, and Mubasher Misr executive producer Shihab Elddin Shaarawi was arrested Friday morning during the raid on the office. The equipment confiscated during the raid is still being held by government officials.
