Egyptian Wael Ghonim, center, a 30-year-old Google Inc. marketing manager who was a key organizer of the online campaign that sparked the first protest on Jan. 25, talks to the crowd in Tahrir Square, in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011. A young leader of Egypt's anti-government protesters, newly released from detention, joined a massive crowd of hundreds of thousands in Cairo's Tahrir Square for the first time Tuesday, greeted by cheers, whistling and thunderous applause when he declared: "We will not abandon our demand and that is the departure of the regime." (AP Photo/Tara Todras-Whitehill)

Wael Ghonim, the young Google executive who became a symbol of Egypt’s pro-democracy uprising, wasted no time after his ten-day-long secret incarceration to rejoin the “internet revolution” he helped spark to bring down President Hosni Mubarak.

Ghonim might not have long to wait for that event: U.S. media was widely reporting that Mubarak would “respond” to the demands of protesters Thursday night, Egypt time.

In an emotional interview with CNN on Wednesday, Ghonim said he had given his wife power-of-attorney and transferred his bank accounts to her in preparation for a final push to bring down 30-year Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak. He said he has taken a leave of absence from Google.

“I have a lot to lose in this life,” Ghonim told CNN’s Ivan Watson. “I, you know, I work, or, you know, now as I’m on a leave of absence, I work for the best company to work for in the world. I had the best wife, and I have the best, I love my kids, but I’m willing to lose all of that for my dream to happen and no one is gonna go against our desire. No one.”

Ghonim was released Monday after ten days in Egyptian custody, following his abduction of the streets of Cairo by state security forces.

In a fast moving story, NBC News and other outlets reported that Mubarak would step down on Thursday. Shortly after those reports emerged, Ghonim tweeted: “Mission accomplished. Thanks to all the brave young Egyptians.”

Minutes later, he took a more cautious stance: “Guys, dont do much speculations for now. Just wait and see.”

In addition to being the top Google marketing executive in the Middle East, Ghonim is an internet activist who had been critical of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in the days leading up to the violence that has paralyzed Egypt.

Ghonim hadn’t been heard from since January 27th, the night before protesters held what they called a “Day of Rage” filled with violent clashes between police and protesters.

Following his release, Ghonim has become a symbol to internet activists who have struggled to overcome internet and cell-phone blackouts, which have accompanied widespread media repression, including violent attacks against journalists that have left at least one reporter dead.

Asked by Watson if he planned a revolution, Ghonim replied simply, “Yeah, we did.”

“This was an internet revolution,” Ghonim said. “I’ll call it revolution 2.0.”

He said the time for negotiation has passed.

“We went on the streets on the 25th and we wanted to negotiate,” Ghonim said. “We wanted to talk to our government, we were knocking on the door. They decided to negotiate with us at night with rubber bullets, with sticks, with water hoses, with tear gas and with arresting about 500 people of us. Thanks, we got the message. Now, when we started escalating this and it got really big they got the message.”

Asked if he felt any responsibility to the people who died, Ghomin placed the blame firmly at the feet of the Mubarak regime, and said he was ready to sacrifice himself for the revolution.

“You are not gonna stop us,” Ghonim said, addressing Vice President Omar Suleiman. “Kidnap me. Kidnap all my colleagues. Put us in jail. Kill us. Do whatever you want to do. We are getting back our country. You guys have been ruining this country for 30 years. Enough. Enough. Enough.”

Follow us for disruptive tech news: Sam Gustin and Epicenter on Twitter.

See Also: