3 Missing Egyptian Students In Custody

Officials Say There's No Indication 8 Others Pose A Threat

(AP)  Three Egyptian students sought along with eight others who failed to show up for an exchange program in Montana were taken into custody on Wednesday, authorities said.

Eslam Ibrahim Mohamed El-Dessouki, 21, was taken into custody in Minnesota on what was termed an administrative immigration violation as an out-of-status student, according to the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.

Two other students, whose names were not yet released, turned themselves into authorities in New Jersey.

"The FBI remains extremely interested in interviewing," the other missing Egyptian students, said Paul McCabe, a spokesman for the FBI in Minneapolis.

The missing students pose no terrorism threat, the agency said.

Authorities began searching for the 11 Egyptian students after they arrived in the United States last month, but failed to show up for an exchange program at Montana State University.

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

The other six arrived as planned at the Montana school.

Montana State repeatedly tried to contact the missing students, including via e-mail, a school official said earlier this week. When that failed, the school notified Homeland Security officials and registered the Egyptians as "no-shows" in the system developed after the Sept. 11 attacks to track foreign students.

The students were participating in an exchange program with Mansoura University in Mansoura, Egypt.

Norm Peterson, vice provost for international education at Montana State, said he doubts the school will have any future contact with the missing students.

"I guess I'm not optimistic that we are ever going to hear from them," he said Wednesday. "It's more likely that they will hopefully depart from the country as soon as possible voluntarily — or the federal authorities will continue to track them down and deal with them appropriately."

The six students who did arrive for the month-long program of English instruction and U.S. history and culture "are doing fine under the circumstances," Peterson said.

"But it is really a challenging situation for them to suddenly have so much press attention" for simply being the ones who showed up, he said.

The U.S. government tightened the student visa process after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. One of the hijackers involved in the attacks had arrived in the United States on a student visa, and immigration officials approved student visas for two other hijackers after they entered the country. A fourth attended flight training school without a student visa.

[schall777]

What in Heaven's Sake is Homeland Security spending our billions and billions on? To continue to allow student visas to young single mem from a quasi-terrorist State, of which Egypt must be considered, without constant monitoring, puts every U.S. citizen at risk for their life. Academia continues to aid and abet our enemies.

schall777

[adt1102]

I'm appauled by how stupid our government has become, Egypt is not only a terrorist state but some of the 9/11 hijackers were eqyptian. Our country should cancel all student visas to terroritst known states as well as all visas to citizens of anti-american muslim countries.

[noomgod]

We need to stop this student visa program to all people of middle eastern descent. They can be from Germany (the Hamburg Cell) and still be descendents from the middle east. This is a perfect example of teaching the enemy. You might call me a bigot, but you won't say that when another airplane crashes into another building.

[quit-it-2009]

I am so tired of the foolishness of our nation's standards for an open door policy to issue visas to citizens of terrorist countries. Our government acts like they are afraid they are going to offend somebody. Do we have to have another blood bath like 9/11 before we wake up? Slam the door shut and do not open it to anyone who is anti-American. Just QUIT IT!

[margaret267]

Why shouldn't the photos and names of these "students" be listed and available to the public? If Homeland Security can take away the privacy rights of U.S. citizens why should these people have preferential treatment? I say to the F.B.I. FIND THEM and find out who sponsered them and follow the money trail!

[cjc777]

I live in the UK and its the same over here. People come and visit, students, holiday makers, etc. They stay and we pay!

[capritch]

Apparently we have learned nothing from 9/11. Eqyptian students coming here to learn and study the English language, our history and our culture. Why not give them flying lessons also?! Now they cannot find 11 of the students. Why is everyone surprised? We brought them to our country, let them enter, with a valid visa and now they are free to possibly terrorize, kill, etc our people. Get with it Homeland Security - the American People are the ones you need to protect. Let's get our priorities straight.

[networkdr-2009]

How can the public help the Feds without the pictures of whom the feds seek ????

This is like a bakery without an oven.

Why NO Pictures: a question a real reporter would ask & provide in the story. I guess the stenographers (opps .. reporters) at CBS (Constant BS) aren%u2019t hired for their ability to dig into a story.

[claireb3]

I think this calls for an APB as they say on cop shows. An All Points Bulletin. Calling all cars...Attention all citizens....I'm not happy with only an FBI behind the scenes action. Let's say these Egyptians are on a white water rafting trip. No matter. We as a nation must get well- practiced in the ways of maximum response, especially when a behavior that was at work in the 9-11 attack appears possibly to account for 11 missing Islamic students.

[liberal4dems]

The government continues being incompetent. No surprise there. Obviously the Dept. of Homeland Security is yet another do-nothing, worthless bureau being used to funnel money to cronies. "Yer doin' a heck uva job keepin' the risk level elevated, Mikie."

[sn00zin100]

Egypt is not a *terrorist* state. It's an American ally; the U.S. gives it the second largest amount of foreign economic aid, only behind Israel. And if you ever visited Egypt, you'd know that the majority of Egyptians love Americans.

These 11 people need to be found because they are violating their visa status, of course, but calling Egypt a terrorist state is just inaccurate.

[kwameb-2009]

you incredibly gutless xenophobes.

someone could crash a plane into my neighborhood, (oh wait, they already did...) and I wouldnt be on some bitter fear rant about banning muslims from this country. Why don't YOU go back to germany, or poland, or ireland or whatever land your stout racist grandfolks had stamped on their visas when they immigrated 200 years ago.

[edkhal46]

I would like to let everyone in USA to know that Egypt is not a terrorist county. It is one of the closest American ally in the middle east. I am very proud to be an Egyptian American citisen.

These students have to be found and should be return back to Egypt because they violated the visa status but not because they are not terrores.

[papabryant]

edkhal46,

I'm sure that everyone knows that Egypt is not a terrorist nation. And likely this is a case of the students not understanding the requirements of their visa.

However, the possibility exists that these students are here under false pretenses. Groups like al Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah do recruit from nations friendly to the U.S..

Until they are found, inuendo about why they came here will abound. And until the threat of these Radical Islamic terror organizations are eliminated, so will suspicions of members of the Islamic faith and of Arab or Persian decent.

It isn't right, but is its human nature. Unfortunately the bad guys make it hard on the good guys. Just keep the faith, my friend.

[cartright10]

If they had Viagra, They would of been caught at the airport....

[lakeroadster]

pakistan is a friend to the US, but that didn't stop a 19-22 year old male from pakistan, fresh from a Friday afternoon mosque service, to go shoot up a Jewish center in Seattle.

[edkhal46]

to Papabryant
I agree with you that the possibility is exist and the bad guys make it hard on the good guys.

[edkhal46]

to Papabryant
I agree with you that the possibility is exist and the bad guys make it hard on the good guys.

[edkhal46]

to Papabryant
I agree with you that the possibility is exist and the bad guys make it hard on the good guys.

[kengaard]

"There is no threat associated with these men." said FBI Special Agent Richard Kolko. "Move along now. You don't need to see their identification. These aren't the egyptians you're looking for. They can go about their business. Move along."

[mmander01]

Wow!!! How quickly we have forgotten 911!
ARE YOU PEOPLE KIDDING ME? Is it just a coincidence that 11 Nationals from Egypt....just happen to have gotten lost?

Where? .....Disneyland?.....maybe"Cicus World"? Maybe they had better intentions? Wait....I know!!

They found a local synagogue, and wanted to convert to judaism? NOPE NOPE NOPE!!!!

There smug little mugs will be plastered all over CNN....next week!!! YEA, AFTER BLOWING UP A SYNAGOGUE!!!

Some of you people need to get real, and QUIT SUGAR COATING THE REAL MUSLIMS, THAT ARE IN THIS COUNTRY! YOUR WORLDLY SUGAR COATED,LEFT WINGED BIASED VIEWS.....WILL GET EVERYBODY DEAD IN THIS COUNTRY!!!!!!!!

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!!!!!

[ingemarsmith]

I second that motion kwameB.

And would add that this story is just something to rile up the nativists. There REALLY IS nothing to see here.

Don't forget to thank GW for keeping us safe from the terrorists in your bedside prayers tonight.
And also, I hope they tap my phones tonight.
Anything to keep me safe from Arabs.

That's the message to take away from this story.

[ingemarsmith]

adt1102,

I'm appalled at how stupid our citizens have become. This is just another scare tactic. How quickly we forgot all of the yellow and orange alerts.

Remember that daily bogeyman?

[ingemarsmith]

Quit-It wrote,
"I am so tired of the foolishness of our nation's standards for an open door policy to issue visas to citizens of terrorist countries. Our government acts like they are afraid they are going to offend somebody."

I bet the Iraqis would settle for being offended over bombed any day. Do you really believe the US is worried about offending countries. There's a war going on initiated by the US over objection from basically the entire world. And you conclude that the problem with this country is that the gov't is worried about offending someone.

Critical thinking.

[homohubris]

Baka da yo. noonashi yaroo

The line of civilization will continue through Asia. Western civilization is infected with a parasite that cannot be extinguished whose ability to parasitize is dependent on its proven ability to disrupt the homeostasis of its host systems to its own advantage. Asian societies have proved relatively immune to this infection and will survive as Western societies kill each other off in parasite inspired lethal confrontations and general social breakdown.

[usa-forever]

Iran has said that it will give its answer to the U.N. and the world on the proposals/incentives on August 22, a very holy day in Islam. Is it a coincidence that these Egyptians go missing about one month before this date? I guess we will see. But if there is another attack, Americans aren't going to be tolerant this time.

[kt_mccormack]

I find the below comment offensive. Global assimilation is not a solution. Religious intolerance fuels conflict. Unfortunately, the complaint button is not functioning. The below post should be removed.

[joeschmoetoo]

Being American does not give us moral superiority over others. The test of Christian faith is to be willing to die for Christ, but not kill. This life is only practice to determine what we face in the next.

[jimbo505]

It be nice if the FBI could give more information!

[wolfchef]

Are these students Egyptian Christians or muslims??..shouldn't that be part of the story? THAT is an important missing link in the post 9-11 era. Please spare us
the 'politcally correct ' bs.

[laneff]

I agree that there must be more stringent observation and examination of records and information prior to allowing just anyone with a visa into this country. But, this is not the only problem. We must refine our list of potential terror suspects, and potential problem immigration or visitation to where we do not arrest the wrong man or woman and send them to a location we all are concerned over at this point in regard to detainees. Known affiliations and known familial contacts must be compiled and accuracy is imperative.

[mmander01]

COMMENT TO THIS ARTICLE:

"Being American does not give us moral superiority over others. The test of Christian faith is to be willing to die for Christ, but not kill. This life is only practice to determine what we face in the next."
Posted by joeschmoetoo at 02:22 PM : Aug 09, 2006

Joe....you are right about the morality of being an American. One thing though: God did not burden on us the "STUPIDITY", to sit and take it!! THE WILLINGNESS TO DIE WITHOUT FIGHTING IS TOTALLY MISSING THE POINT.

This is a holy war based on the views of some extreme Muslims, that want us off the face of the earth!!!!!! "ALL NON-MUSLIMS ARE TO DIE"(THIS IS THEIR VIEW ON THE WORLD". We are not trying to impose on them, they are imposing on us.

EVERYBODY FORGETS WHO STARTED THIS WHOLE THING!!!!

PRIOR TO 911....WE WERE NOT FIGHTING MUSLIMS. THEY TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES TO IMPOSE THEIR....JIHAD ON OUR INOCENT CIVILIANS IN THIS COUNTRY.

SO ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY THAT: "WE JUST SIT BACK AND TAKE IT"? NO NO NO......THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. BY BEING AGGRESSIVE....WE SHOW THEM THAT WE ARE NOT THE WIMPS THAT THEY THINK WE ARE!!!

ENOUGH OF THIS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS........IT MAKES ME WANT TO VOMIT.

[radwa-2009]

hey i am EGYPTIAN and i am MUSLIM and i used to live in America and i am NOT A TERRORIST for crying out loud
why would it matter if those students are muslims or not? they were a part of an exchange program which is something totally legal. besides they have valid visas..what more do u want?
so what if they cut school? who doesn't??
what is the BIG deal?

[gclarkson2]

The big deal was 9/11. These Egyptians(and Egyptians are wonderful people, I have been there)who failed to show up needed to go where they were supposed to go as did the six.

[yeahright7]

let's see.... MUSLIMS declare holy "Jihad" (or whatever that *** is) on us, are prepared to die at any time to kill us and wipe us off the earth, then were supposed to sit back and listen to them say it's not me it's not me it's them not me.... well if your MUSLIM you've got a problem period because jihad is war and war is war, if you don't like the way YOU are being treated by the rest of the world then it's time to step up and CLEAN up your own house!!! and until you do, don't complain about being observed, questioned or even looked at funny when you walk down OUR streets, if you don't like it go back to your paradise.......

[scottj191]

To question and challenge as we walk through life is only normal. To protect and extinguish evil is how the human race continues to exist. All law enforcement agencies set profiles to solve crimes. Nothing is perfect in life, however may the good float to the top and the garbage sink to a pit of fire. proud to have served in USMC

[robocoder]

Hmm... Seems to me like we used to know how to do criminal investigations. In fact, if I recall correctly there's a title for people who do this type of investigation...


They're called Profilers! They develop a profile of the criminal suspect and they look for a person that matches that profile. Seems like a logical way to catch the crooks to me. But hey, that's just me.

Oh, and guess what. Look's like some Pakistanis just tried to blow up some planes. Who'd a thunk it. They're muslisms, they're middle eastern, they're swarthy, they're young men. Wow, they fit the profile!

Must be a coincidence.

[radwa-2009]

replying to yeahright7:
quote "well if your MUSLIM you've got a problem period because jihad is war and war is war"
if u understand arabic u would know that the word "islam" means peace
go ask any translator if u don't believe me or go check it up in a dictionary
we are FORBIDDEN to START a war in islam
we can only fight the ppl who start to fight us first..if u don't believe me surf the net or read about Islam in any book
during wars, soldiers CAN NOT BY ANY MEANS harm an infant, or an elderly person, or a woman b/c they are unarmed ppl
quote "don't complain about being observed, questioned or even looked at funny when you walk down OUR streets, if you don't like it go back to your paradise....."
u ARE RIGHT..i CAN'T complain about out it b/c i am seen as a GUEST which should be treated with respect..i mean these students were INVITED as a part of an exchange program
i am sure the American students here receive great welcoming and help from anyone even if it happens to be a passer-by in the street. ask anyone who has ever been to Egypt.
Having got the wrong perception of Islam doesn't give u the right to say who is a terrorist and who is not..

[tsbank1]

this current situation is the natural bain of organized religion.
god,allah or yawhee is crying in the heavens.
when did the few get sooo much power to wage war on the rest of us.
christian fundamentalist here,zionest there and radical islam EVERYWHERE.

[tsbank1]

this current situation is the natural bain of organized religion.
god,allah or yawhee is crying in the heavens.
when did the few get sooo much power to wage war on the rest of us.
christian fundamentalist here,zionest there and radical islam EVERYWHERE.

[yeahright7]

replying to radwa:
quote: if u understand arabic u would know that the word "islam" means peace, go ask any translator if u don't believe me or go check it up in a dictionary, we are FORBIDDEN to START a war in islam

well then why are the "muslims" attacking us, trying at any cost at any time to kill us one and all? if they are so peace oriented? and why do they talk of Israel as having no right to exist? that they (man women and "child") should be "wiped" off the earth.............

quote:
these students were INVITED as a part of an exchange program

well then go to school and do what you intended to do in a lawful and appreciative mannor, and if you don't well then you will/should be treated as such....

fact is peoples perceptions are based on things that have happened or that are happening that they witnessed. so if you think our perception of islam is "tainted or wrong" it isn't because we woke up one day and decided you were this way - YOU have done things to us and continue to do things to us to form our perceptions. when I hear the leader of one of your "great" islamic nations say that the Israeli people have no right to exist, and that they should be wiped from the earth, well..... that just speaks for itself!

like I said earlier - the problem is YOURS - clean your house and things might get better....

[radwa-2009]

quote "well then why are the "muslims" attacking us, trying at any cost at any time to kill us one and all"
i will tell u why
in israel, israeli soldiers kill palestinians..children, women, elderly, youth but with what?
with guns, armed tanks that were supplied by who...WOW IT TURNED OUT TO BE THAT THE US IS SUPPLYING ISRAEL
what a shock!!!
this is what goes on in the mind of a youth in palestine..my mom was tortured, my brother was killed, my father was slaughtered..well then if i can't get to the ppl who actually did that then why not get to the ppl who helped them do that..
IN MY OPINION, I DON'T THINK IT IS RIGHT B/C AFTER ALL THE AMERICAN PPL ARE NOT BAD..IN FACT THEY ARE REALLY NICE AND HELPFUL PEOPLE..i say that b/c i was there before..so that means that they shouldn't suffer from POOR decisions done by their political leaders
but hey, not all americans are good..
in school i used to have this really really mean girl in my class..but i never said that americans are awful b/c of this girl
why? b/c she is a minority..
all the rest treated me with respect
that is why i will never judge the american ppl by the behavior of one american
same thing applies to muslims
we are a billion and something
u r judging us by some hundred ppl u hear about in tv and see in the movies hijack planes and stuff..

[radwa-2009]

muslims who do that feel powerless b/c they have seen their whole families killed like in lebanon now and what the 'US POLITICAL LEADERS' say is that the israeli response was quite reasonable..
what did the lebananese people do? they are innocents just like the americans..they shouldn't be killed. do u get my point?

[yeahright7]

replying to radwa:
ok so now were getting down to the points
You have the "leader" of one of YOUR "great" muslim nations spewing nothing but hatred for an entire race of people - there is one point which stands on it's own......

you have the fact that the Lebaneese people were told (not exactly sure when) back around 1998 or something that they had a terrorist group "hezzbalah" within their country and that THEY needed to get them out / control them and their hatred / murderous ways or there would again be trouble - they did nothing, and here they are...

alqada - is was rampant throughout afganistan and is was being funded/supported by several more of those "model" muslim country's next to it, so the same thing goes for your response if we can't get the "alqada" to stop then it turns out iran iraq and not sure who else support them so as you said we will get to them - and until someone whether it be the U.S. or the country's who are supporting this and harboring these idiots stop there will continue to be problems for a long time to come
continued above.....

[yeahright7]

continued reply to rawda:

fact is nobody wouldn be there if there wasn't the concern that some "dimwitted" leader of one of those earlier named places wouldn't be stupid or psychopathic enough (which I thnk they have already shown themselves to be) to give some complete nutcase a suitcase full of enriched uranium and tell him he's going to get (whatever it is) 75 virgins and life in paradise if he goes and blows up something along with thousands maybe millions of people....


and here's a big one - I don't have a problem with lebaneese people in fact my neighbor and his wife are lebaneese and our families are good friends (he's a good man) and in fact I "fished" one time with a guy who was from Lebanon and he at the time knew there were going to be problems and told me so - so it's not like the lebaneese people didn't know this was coming......

but it's hard to imagine that I as a "non-muslim" am an infadel and have "no-right" to exist... that my friend is why there is this problem!

which brings me back to the same point muslims need to "CLEAN" your own house and things WILL get better - get rid of leaders who have these views and are willing to do these things get rid of these extremists whithin your own homes single them out arrest them and stop this hatred....