Detained Egyptian Google Exec to Be Released

If all goes according to plan, missing Google executive Wael Ghonim should be released later today.

Earlier this month, Google revealed that one of its Egyptian executives had been missing for nearly a week. Last seen in central Cairo, Wael Ghonim, the head of marketing for the Middle East and North Africa, had traveled to his native Cairo and during his trip was vocal about the anti-government demonstrations taking place.

Though his location up until now has been unknown, video footage of someone resembling Wael being arrested was released earlier this month, and many presumed he had been detained. On Sunday afternoon, Egyptian telecoms tycoon Naguib Sawiris said that authorities had promised Ghonim missing in Cairo would be ''freed'' on Monday. The news came during a conversation with a TV channel about talks Sawiris had had with Vice President Omar Suleiman earlier that same day. Before Sunday, authorities had not confirmed whether or not Wael had been detained.

While it’s not clear who is holding the Google executive, Ghonim is supposedly being released today 2pm GMT (6am PT, 9am ET), and a spokesperson for Orascom Telecom confirmed the remarks made by the company’s chairman. We’ll keep you posted as things progress.

[Update] According to Wael's brother, Wael has been released. His brother said he was on his way to Tahrir Square, a center for the anti-government protests.