I do not think that the Egyptian people carry feelings of hatred to a person as they do with the fugitive Mamdouh Ismail, owner of the death ferry known as "Peace 98", as evidenced by his inability to return to Egypt and face the people although he got a court ruling proving his innocence.
If there are real polls in Egypt, they would immediately show that 99.9% of the Egyptian people were deeply sad on the day when the verdict on Ismail's innocence was taken. Indeed, people's ruling is much stronger than any court ruling.
Ismail, who fled to London since the accident under the pretext of receiving medical treatment, does not stop provoking the Egyptian people.
When a new daily program touched upon the legality of commenting on court rulings, the fugitive Ismail sent an immediate letter threatening that he would close down the new channel as if he wants to muzzle people after his ferry killed 1034 Egyptians and spread grief between their families for many years.
The same situation has recently taken place when Ismail sent a letter threatening the scenarist Wahid Hamed – as was reported by Al-Wafd daily – after he decided to make a film on the ferry. Hamed submitted a report to the attorney-general calling for protection.
Hamed made the same voyage the ferry used to make and exerted great effort – as usual – to prepare for the film, but he has never imagined that influence and arrogance would reach that extent.
Hamed, known for his strong opposition to the government and the religious groups through many films and soap operas, has never been subjected to such terrorism, not even from the government or the Islamic groups.
Hamed, who faced terrorism with his pen, has never been exposed to threats from terrorists, but he received threats from Ismail when he wanted to write a film about the ferry, as if the ferry's owner has become stronger than the government and the religious groups. This arouses question marks over fugitive's influence.
What would the role of the cinema be if it failed to reflect reality and document the most serious and worst accident in Egypt during this century?
There should be a campaign from the intellectuals and the people to support Hamed against omnipotence in line with the freedom of opinion and expression so as to emphasize that the Egyptian people will never forget the victims of the ferry. Nor will they tolerate the ferry's owners. In fact, the matter is very dangerous and must be taken seriously.
All writers and journalists have to re-try Ismail before a public opinion court so that he would send his threats to all journalists if he could!
Ismail has only got an innocent ruling from a court of first instance, but the court of cassation has not said its word so far, so we will wait for the appeal that may restore rights to their owners.
I got a prize from the Press Syndicate for writing the best column against Ismail. I am afraid that the fugitive may send a warning to the Press Syndicate calling for withdrawing the prize because my article annoyed his Excellency in London.
Everything is possible!
