Egyptian critic of military rule attacked after leaving Nileside state television HQ

On the 18th January, prominent Egyptian activist, blogger and newspaper columnist, Nawara Negm, was attacked as she left work at the Nileside state television HQ.  Nawara works for the Egyptian Nile Television Network (NTN) as a translator and news editor. The attack was caught on video and uploaded to social networking sites, and showed a small crowd both physically and verbally assailing her.  A key figure in the 2011 uprising and a vocal critic of the military government, Negm's attack appears to be the latest in a string of violence against protest participants, including the violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in December.  This trend is all the more worrying in light of a thinly veiled warning to anti-military activists by Egypt's milutary ruler, Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi.  In comments published on Wednesday, he said Egypt was facing "grave dangers" but assured the nation that the armed forces would protect it.  What this means for demonstrators will depend on what Tantawi's definition of 'protect'.  The attack on Negm is an indication that Egypt is certainly not through the woods, and the upcoming anniversary of the start of the uprising will prove to be telling.