Student arrested for homemade clock visits White House

07:55 PM Oct, 20 2015
Sudanese Online
Gulf News-
My Library at SudaneseOnline




Washington: Ahmad Mohammad, the Muslim teenager arrested after a homemade clock he brought to his Texas school was mistaken for a bomb, capped a whirlwind month with a visit to the White House on Monday.

Ahmad got a personal invitation from President Barack Obama for “Astronomy Night.” The two met and chatted briefly during Monday night’s event. The president uses the event to encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Earlier on Monday, Ahmad said he was grateful for the president’s support and said he’s OK with the nickname that so many have given him over the past few weeks — “clock kid.”

He said the lesson of his experience is: “Don’t judge a person by the way they look. Always judge them by their heart.”

Last month, Ahmad brought the clock to his high school in Arlington, Texas, to show a teacher, but another teacher thought it could be a bomb. The school contacted police, who ultimately chose not to charge Ahmad with having a hoax bomb, though he was suspended from school for three days.

Obama subsequently tweeted an invitation to Ahmad and said the US should inspire more kids like him to enjoy science.

Ahmad’s family is looking at several options for a new school. He hopes to eventually go to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and become an engineer.

The White House invitation has brought some backlash. Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz complained that Obama didn’t give law enforcement officials the same respect he’s giving Ahmad. White House spokesman Josh Earnest said Monday the president has made clear in many settings the respect he has for law enforcement officers.

Ahmad said he has visited Google and Facebook, along with other companies and institutions in recent weeks. He also travelled to Sudan where he met with President Omar al-Bashir, which has prompted some criticism because al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges of genocide and war crimes for atrocities linked to fighting in Darfur province. Advisers deflected a question on that topic and instructed Ahmad to not answer. Ahmad’s family are Sudanese immigrants and his father is a former presidential candidate.

Ahmad posed for pictures with Nasa astronaut Alvin Drew shortly before Obama addressed the students on the South Lawn, and he got to introduce himself to the president when Obama waded out toward the audience to shake hands with visitors after his speech.

Obama told the crowd that Nasa was developing the capabilities to send humans to Mars in the 2030s.

“That means some of the young people who are here tonight might be working on that project,” Obama said. “Some of you might be on your way to Mars. America can do anything.”

The students visiting the South Lawn of the White House on Monday night got the chance to explore samples of rocks from the moon, Mars and various meteorites. They met with astronauts and peered at the planets and stars through telescopes.



Topics related to the subject or the author



• Sudanese top official in Washington today 02-08-15, 05:39 PM, SudaneseOnline News
• US Secretary of State is pressing for a UN vote creating an arms embargo on South Sudan 02-06-15, 03:24 PM, SudaneseOnline News
• Letter to President Obama from Sudanese living in Diaspora 10-09-14, 10:04 PM, SudaneseOnline News
• US urges parties to conflict in S. Sudan to stop fighting 10-08-14, 06:46 PM, SudaneseOnline News
• New Amnesty International report - Nowhere Safe: Civilians Under Attack in South Sudan 05-11-14, 07:24 PM, SudaneseOnline Press Release
• South Sudan president fires army chief, top generals 04-24-14, 03:19 PM, news24
• Obama Clears Way for South Sudan Sanctions 04-06-14, 02:41 PM, Associated Press
• US authorises South Sudan conflict sanctions 04-05-14, 04:52 PM, BBC News
• Statement by the Press Secretary on South Sudan 04-04-14, 02:30 PM, SudaneseOnline News
• US Lawmaker to Obama: Phone Kiir on South Sudan Crisis 03-04-14, 07:30 PM, Voice of America
• US urges parties to conflict in S. Sudan to stop fighting 01-02-14, 04:37 PM, SudaneseOnline News
• South Sudanese rebels arrive in Addis Ababa for ceasefire talks 01-01-14, 04:34 PM, Reuters
• Massacre of Nuer civilians at The Hands of President Kiir’s Dinka mili 12-22-13, 00:49 AM, sudaneseonline
• The new US envoy for Sudan and South Sudan arrives in Khartoum on Frid 09-11-13, 06:26 PM, SudaneseOnline News

Arabic Forum