Former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney released

Posted by Maria Khan on 7/05/09 • Categorized as Mideast, Politics

Per Haaretz, Noble Peace Prize winner and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney was released today, after being taken into custody by Israeli forces. She was detained after being on board a humanitarian ship heading to Gaza from Cyprus.

McKinney and 20 others faced charges of attempting to sail through a navy blockade, which the group has repeated denied, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The Twitterverse has been actively engaging with this news, as per the mixed reviews below. Some Twitterers rejoiced upon hearing the release reports:

marnieglickman (Fairfax, CA) I’m very happy Cynthia McKinney has been released and is on her way home. http://is.gd/1oje3 05 Jul 2009 from Seesmic Desktop

Whitney86 RT @mathaba: Cynthia McKinney released after being abducted by Israeli navy from greek ship attempting to deliver aid with 20 others to Gaza 06 Jul 2009 from txt

ungaro @pleaseretweet:12 More Still Held by #Israel – “McKinney released, returning to U.S.” Atlanta Journal-Constitution http://ow.ly/gykx #gaza 06 Jul 2009 from web

4realyoungs (Undisclosed) so glad Cynthia McKinney has been released…i knew they wouldn’t keep her…she probably hit her guard. 06 Jul 2009 from txt

garywright2 (Alabama) Cynthia McKinney news: Reports are that the Americans are being released from Israeli jail and arriving in New York on Monday. I am so happy 06 Jul 2009 from web

Other Twitterers in McKinney’s former jurisdiction in Atlanta and elsewhere offered their disappointment:

running26point2 (Atlanta, GA) @rcjohns Get ready world. When Cynthia McKinney get released by the Israel, you will hear some of the craziest rants you have ever heard. 03 Jul 2009 from web in reply to rcjohns

macguyinnc Oh boy.. That nutjob, Cynthia McKinney, is at it again. Will someone just ship her to the middle of South America already? http://tr.im/qTOj 04 Jul 2009 from Tweetie

Roscoe2400 (Portugal) palestine #palestine #gaza : McKinney released, returning to United States – Prob smells like the pig she is!!! Soueeeee!!!!! 05 Jul 2009 from web

talster (Undisclosed) Cynthia McKinney released, returning to the US http://is.gd/1oioA Israeli authorities should have sent her to outer-space. 05 Jul 2009 from Tweetie

cprater (Atlanta, GA)@weaselzippers re: McKinney’s release Nooooo! Why did they let her go? Is coming back to ATL to live large off my tax money? 05 Jul 2009 from web in reply to weaselzippers

jlbtwee @Tominycricket I second your C. McKinney comment. We prefer she stay abroad and under observation. 06 Jul 2009 from web

jasonscroggins (Undisclosed) just found out that cynthia mckinney was released from an israeli jail. bummer. 06 Jul 2009 from TinyTwitter

phernacki (Atlanta, GA) Dear Israel, is there anything at all we could give you to get you to keep Cynthia McKinney? 06 Jul 2009 from TweetDeck

Here’re some additional tweets offering background information on Cynthia McKinney and her temporary detainment in Israel:

TacticalSniper (Israel) Tired of #McKinney tweets. No, not “kidnapped” or “abducted” in #Israel. When ur “kidnapped” u can’t call US radio stations 4 interviews. 04 Jul 2009 from TweetDeck

TheNewsGuy New blog post: Wikipedia threatens to delist Cynthia McKinney under violation of Creative Common Sense http://novus2.com/wordpress/?p=5898 05 Jul 2009 from Twitter Tools

brianlj “Zionism has surely run out of its last legitimacy” http://is.gd/1nNID Cynthia McKinney’s bio http://is.gd/1nNPL #Israel #gaza 05 Jul 2009 from twhirl

pazenlavida RT @afrobella @thirdrootprod Cynthia McKinney calls WBAIX frm Israeli prison http://bit.ly/gQAii – has @ricksanchezcnn reported on this yet? 05 Jul 2009 from TwitterFon

nalrajhi (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) Letter from an Israeli Jail, by Cynthia McKinney #israel http://bit.ly/KRQ2i 06 Jul 2009 from TweetDeck

jmguitar @andersoncooper can you do a 360 piece on Cynthia McKinney? 06 Jul 2009 from web in reply to andersoncooper