[chersolly]

Missing Egyptian caught at O'Hare
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...alnearwest-hed

Quote:

About 7:30 a.m. Thursday, El Ela approached one of the Delta gate desks in O'Hare's Terminal 3 and attempted to book himself on a flight to Bozeman, Mont., Bolger said, but his ticket was for a flight from New York to Bozeman on a different day. He wanted to exchange the ticket and "was acting in a strange, erratic behavior," Bolger said. El Ela raised his voice with airline agents and told the woman to call the university to confirm he was a student there. The woman did, but a university representative told her to contact authorities immediately, Bolger said. At that point, the woman called the officer, and he soon arrived at the gate. By that time, El Ela was "calm and cooperative," Bolger said. "He was kind of confused, and he talked in broken English."

Looks like the kid was just trying to get back to school.

 

[fourgrtkidos]

You know, I never know what to think anymore about any of this (meaning our state of affairs, terrorism and "foreigners"). So many lies mixed in with truths and I think our government would sacrifice any innocent in order to perpetuate this state of fear.

Confused,
Michelle

 

[menudo]

Remember, anyone from The Mideast or India (add a few other countries here) acts "weird" to the average American. Then the media conditions us to call their different cultural inflections, etc. as SUSPICIOUS.

These kids have the internet and tv. They knew they were being hunted (liek terrorists). I would be scared too.

 

[TCMoulton]

Maybe he was just trying to get to his school but where has he been? The visa that he came into the country on required him to go to the school where he was to do his studies, he didn't do that. He was at O'Hae trying to use an airline ticket that was from New York - didn't he realize that he would be questioned about that at least? I am pretty sure that his intentions weren't to harm anyone but considering he is an educated individual who was bound for a US college I would think that he would have known better than to go missing after entering into the country.

 

[chersolly]

Quote:

Maybe he was just trying to get to his school but where has he been?

Quote:

These kids have the internet and tv. They knew they were being hunted (liek terrorists).

For the last few days he has been on a bus from NYC to Chicago. There is a chance he had no clue that he was being hunted.

 

[TCMoulton]

But why was he on a bus? He was well aware that he was to go directly to the school, had a plane ticket there and everything but he chose not to. My question is why? If you have a visa to any country that is for a specific purpose what valid reason could he have for not getting on that plane and going to the college as he was supposed to.

 

[charmander]

Thtat's what I was thinking. Why did he take a bus from New York to Chicago?

 

[lisalou]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TCMoulton But why was he on a bus? He was well aware that he was to go directly to the school, had a plane ticket there and everything but he chose not to. My question is why? If you have a visa to any country that is for a specific purpose what valid reason could he have for not getting on that plane and going to the college as he was supposed to.

My guess is and this is completely in thinking about my Lebanese relatives and working at a college, is he has family or friends in this country. He knew his classes didn't start for a couple of days, he underestimated the size of the country, and he thought what the heck? Yes he has a student visa but that doesn't mean you are limited to just the town that the college is in. A student visa actually does let you travel all over the country and in our case even go to Canada.

 

[TCMoulton]

I thought it said somewhere that the visa that he had required him to go immediately to the university where they would then report him as arrived. That is why I questioned his actions.

 

[TCMoulton]

All entered the U.S. legally, but officials said the no-shows violated the terms of their visas and that the government would likely send them home once they turn up.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,207369,00.html

 

[Arduinna]

fox news.

yeah, no comment on that.

 

[TCMoulton]

An alert went out last week for the students after they did not show up as scheduled for an academic program at Montana State University in Bozeman, the agency said.

Chicago police detained Ahmed Ela, 22, at O'Hare International Airport on Thursday as he was attempting to book a flight to Montana. Some of the others were apprehended at private residences.

All U.S. airports were on a state of heightened alert following the thwarted U.K. airline bomb plot.

Authorities were looking for the remaining five students. Those in custody were held on violations of their temporary student visas.

http://today.reuters.com/News/Crises...ryId=N10463113

 

[Momtwice]

I would have trusted Reuters until the recent thread about them admitting they doctored a photo.

 

[patty_g]

My DH (who is Egyptian) figures they all just figured, we will get a way to the US (the education program) and then go just stay there instead of coming back. They probably figured that the US is a big place and no one would either bother or be able to find them and they could just live there illegally for a while. They probably all have relatives/friends there. The situation in Egypt these days is pretty rough for the young people. No jobs, no money. They have a really hard time doing the basics in life, like getting married. Desperation makes people do dumb things. Terrorists, doubtful. Just dumb kids is more likely. That side, they should be sent back to Egypt on the next flight. They have to learn that you have to follow the rules or else you won't get ahead.

 

[AsYouWish]

if they were students from Ireland or Sweden or Russia, etc., etc., if their disappearance would have even made the news. I also wonder, if the students were from countries we don't associate with Islam if they would have even had a limitation placed on their student visas that limited their travel once in the U.S.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[fourgrtkidos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosidox if they were students from Ireland or Sweden or Russia, etc., etc., if their disappearance would have even made the news. I also wonder, if the students were from countries we don't associate with Islam if they would have even had a limitation placed on their student visas that limited their travel once in the U.S. Just thinking out loud.

EXACTLY!