Cairo (ANTARA News/AFP) - The Egyptian authorities on Monday released an executive from Internet search giant Google who was arrested last week during protests against President Hosni Mubarak.

"Freedom is a bless that deserves fighting for it," Wael Ghonim, Google`s head of marketing for the Middle East and North Africa, said in a message posted on his Twitter feed, @Ghonim, shortly after his release.

"Huge relief -- Wael Ghonim has been released. Our love to him and his family," the Mountain View, California-based Google said in a message on its Twitter feed @Google.

Ghonim, an Egyptian, was seized on January 28 in Cairo`s Tahrir Square after he joined thousands of others protesting to demand Mubarak`s resignation.

An Egyptian security official told AFP that Ghonim immediately headed back to the square, which has been occupied for the past two weeks by opposition activists, following his release.

Google last week appealed for help in finding Ghonim, who was in Egypt for a conference when the protests began.

On Twitter, Ghonim asked for people to pray for Egypt and expressed fear the government was planning a "war crime" against its people.

"We are all ready to die," he said in one message.

Amnesty International had warned that Ghonim could face torture in Egypt`s notorious jails after his family reported they had been unable to confirm his arrest or whereabouts for several days. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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