Creator of Syrian ‘Gay Girl’ blog missing

Ismail said Arraf was detained as she and the friend were on their way “to meet a person involved’’ with the Local Coordination Committee, an activist group that helps organize and document the protests calling for an end to the Assad regime.

An activist with the Local Coordination Committees also said Arraf was taken but gave no details.

“We are hoping she is simply in jail and nothing worse has happened to her,’’ Ismail wrote. She added that Arraf had previously sent her texts to post should something happen to her, but she was holding off in hopes of hearing further word from her cousin.

The day before she was detained, Arraf wrote: “I am complex, I am many things; I am an Arab, I am Syrian, I am a woman, I am queer, I am Muslim, I am binational, I am tall, I am too thin; my sect is Sunni, my clan is Omari, my tribe is Quraysh, my city is Damascus,’’ she wrote in www.damascusgaygirl.blogspot.com a day before being detained.

Since the uprising against Assad began in mid-March, a government crackdown has left about 1,300 people dead and more than 10,000 detained, according to human rights groups.

Several activists who were briefly detained during the revolt said they were tortured, humiliated, and forced to sign pledges to avoid antiregime activities.