FBI detains Tech student, won't say why (Pakistan Born Immigrant)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 04/20/06 | Bill Torpy & Mike Morris

[Qaz_W]

A Georgia Tech student born in Pakistan has been in federal custody for nearly a month, apparently because authorities suspect a videotape he made of a building may have been related to terrorism, his family said. Syed Haris Ahmed, a 21-year-old mechanical engineering major who had become increasingly religious in his Islamic faith, was arrested by the FBI March 23 and has been held since, his family said. ……. Ahmed's family denied that he could be involved in anything related to terrorism. He came to the United States with his family in 1997, is an American citizen and lived with his family near Dawsonville before moving to an off-campus apartment near Georgia Tech. ……………. Samia Ahmed said her brother's interest in Islam had been growing. "He's religious and liked the simple life," she said. "He wants us to abide by the rules. He isn't against anyone; he just doesn't want us to lose our faith." Lately, he was getting more interested in Islamic studies and was trying to teach himself Arabic so he could read the Koran. "He was trying to learn everything," she said. "He's still very innocent in his mind. He's still a child." ……….

[antceecee]

Get real...he was looked at for a lot more than videotaping a building. They aren't going to release why they are holding him until they complete their investigation. Would you rather they just let him be until he blows up the building?

[Jim_Curtis]

You might be another Timothy McVeigh. Do you own a video camera?

Is merely owning a video camera something that a lot of people are being arrested for? I hadn't heard about that.

[jazusamo]

[Doesn't exactly add up to a terrorist in my eyes.]

You are absolutely right but I don't believe anything I said would indicate that I have already judged him guilty.

The article seemed to imply he was only arrested because of the video and lacked any reasonable cause for his arrest.

It is my belief there is more evidence in this case and has not been released to the public. If there wasn't, his attorney would be making a lot of noise about the abuse of the FBI.