BACK WITH LOVING FAMILY
tricolour around his shoulders, he spoke out about criticism he faced after his arrest following rallies over the removal of the then Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi.
He defiantly said: “I really want to thank the haters,.
“They made me stronger, to come out and be ready for everything. Like they say, sticks and stones will break my bones...”
There were triumphant cheers as Ibrahim hugged and kissed his five sisters, his brother and his nieces and nephews – some of whom weren’t even born when he was jailed.
He added: “It still feels like a dream, this is the moment I’ve waited for. But I’ve still left a lot of people behind – innocent people around the world who are in jail, not just in Cairo. “I want to thank the President, the Irish Government for working so hard. I want to thank the Irish people, my great family who’ve worked so hard for people around the world.
“Thank you all for your support it means a lot to me. I want Ibrahim is greeted by his sister to thank my lawyer. I want to thank all the ministers, Minister Simon Coveney. I want to thank the Taoiseach and I want to thank Lynn Boylan as well for working so hard.
“The parliament, all the human rights organisations, the students’ union. I just want to thank everyone for helping me.”
Sinn Fein MEP Ms Boylan said: “Today is a day that we thought we’d never actually see because it had got to the point where it had gone on for so long.
“It’s a fantastic day for his family and particularly for him.”
Ibrahim was arrested while hiding in the Al Fath mosque with his three sisters. He faced a mass trial alongside Balloons say it all at airport yesterday
493 other defendants in September and was acquitted – but was only released last Thursday.
Ibrahim shared some of his plans for the future, which include helping other people who have been wrongly jailed, while he also hopes to work with the homeless.
He explained: “I have left a lot of cellmates behind. There’s a lot of innocent people behind bars around the world, not just in Egypt.
“Even if they are criminals or if they have been convicted I’m going to be asking for them to come back to do their time in Ireland. I felt how it is to be away from home.”
His beaming sister Fatima said: “We’ve thought of this moment for so