Thread: FBI Searching For 11 Egyptian Students

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/ ... 3057.shtml

FBI Searching For 11 Egyptian Students
'No Threat' Associated With Men Who Disappeared After Arriving In U.S.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7, 2006
(CBS/AP)

The school notified Homeland Security officials and registered the Egyptians as "no-shows" in the system developed after Sept. 11 to track foreign students, university spokeswoman Cathy Conover said.

(AP) Eleven Egyptian students who arrived in the United States last month are being sought by authorities after failing to turn up for an exchange program at Montana State University.

The Egyptian men were among a group of 17 students who arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York from Cairo on July 29 with valid visas, according to U.S. authorities and university officials.

The other six have arrived at the Bozeman, Mont., campus for a monthlong program on English language instruction and U.S. history and culture, university spokeswoman Cathy Conover said.

When the 11 didn't turn up by the end of the last week, the FBI issued a lookout to state and local law enforcement, said FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko.

"At this point all they have done is not show up for a scheduled academic program," Kolko said. "There is no threat associated with these men."

They are between 18 and 22 years old, said a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the search for the men is continuing.

U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement declined to make their names public.

The government probably will seek to send the students home once they are located because they have violated the terms of their visas, the official said.

The government tightened the student visa process after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks when it learned that four of the hijackers entered the country on foreign student visas.

The school has tried repeatedly to contact the students, Conover said, including sending e-mails. When that failed, the school notified Homeland Security officials and registered the Egyptians as "no-shows" in the system developed after Sept. 11 to track foreign students, Conover said.

They were participating in an exchange program Montana State arranged with Mansoura University in Mansoura, Egypt.

"We hope this doesn't cast doubt on this program because we think it's important to have international students on our campus and in our community," Conover said.

"At this point all they have done is not show up for a scheduled academic program," Kolko said. "There is no threat associated with these men."

In today's world, this situation is implied threat, or minimally, suspicious activity.

Our nation was just threatened by Hezbollah!

Although we cannot make a direct deduction that they are terrorists, they
proved they were willing to break our laws. They did NOT comply with terms of their visas.

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

FBI Warns Law Enforcement to Look Out for 11 Missing Egyptian Exchange Students

The FBI alerted state and local authorities Monday to be on the lookout for 11 Egyptian exchange students who arrived in the U.S. last month but never showed up for class.

The men, who range in age from 18 to 22, were scheduled to attend a month-long program in U.S. history and culture, plus English language instruction, at Montana State University along with six other students. The group flew from Cairo and arrived in the U.S. on July 29. 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.

FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko emphasized that there was no indication that the men were involved in any illicit activity.

"At this point, all they have done is not show up for a scheduled academic program," Kolko said. "There is no threat associated with these men."

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would not disclose the names of the 11, but revealed that they were students registered at Mansoura University in Mansoura, Egypt.

Cases like these are actually quite common, Kolko said. Oftentimes when large groups of foreign students arrive in the United States, it is almost inevitable that some will break off and head to tourist destinations before turning up several days later.

The government tightened the student visa process after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks when it learned that four of the hijackers had entered the country on foreign student visas.

Montana State has tried repeatedly to contact the students, university spokeswoman Cathy Conover said. When that failed, the school notified Homeland Security officials and registered the Egyptians as "no-shows" in the system developed after Sept. 11 to track foreign students.

"We hope this doesn't cast doubt on this program because we think it's important to have international students on our campus and in our community," Conover said.

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I think its great that the school reported these men. However, I have to ask, why Montana State? What academic programs do they offer that these people couldn't have gone elsewehre? Were they trying to go to a remote area?

I think its great that the school reported these men. However, I have to ask, why Montana State? What academic programs do they offer that these people couldn't have gone elsewehre? Were they trying to go to a remote area?

That was my thought exactly.

Sure is close to the border and the climate would be a big shock this Winter. They would have turned into Egypticycles.
I wonder how many schools they applied to before they were accepted. Hmmm....

Hi, ya'll,

Actually Universities love students from oil rich countries. If it's still how it was a few years ago, the Saudi gov't pays their tuition, don't know about the rest of the bills.

I have a friend who taught a English and 'way to live in the USA' type class for Saudis. She was trying to explain how taxes and other withholding from paychecks, was handled and what it meant to the employees... "I make.....a year, but out of it comes.....in taxes, FICA, etc, so I take home....." She told me she'll never forget the looks on their faces. She said that each man reached into his pocket and pulled out a huge roll of cash, the least amount being $17,000 dollars. This was late 1970's. They were stunned that a professor made so little.