Co-editor Khalil Ghanem (Beirut 1847 – Paris 1903) had taken part in the previous reformist movement known as the Young Ottomans. Member of the first Ottoman parliament in 1877, the French Embassy in Constantinople (now Istanbul) granted him political asylum after his mentor Midhat Pasha was deposed.[1] Before meeting Arslan he had founded and edited al-Bassir (al-Bașīr البصير) weekly (Paris, 1881–1882).[11] Ghanem wrote also for the Journal des débats and was named chevalier of the French Legion of Honour in 1879.[12]