Attempts continue to bring home 11 students who were arrested in New York after attempting to disappear in the US, writes Reem Leila As federal agents continue interrogating 11 Egyptian students who intended to vanish in the US, the president of their university traveled to New York for talks with US federal and immigration authorities to release the students. The students were arrested last week for violating the terms of their visas, as well as immigration regulations, while visiting on a cultural exchange programme. "I will try to have a heart-to-heart talk with US authorities to explain what happened," Magdy Abu Rayan, the president of Mansoura University, told Al-Ahram Weekly shortly before he left on 17 August. "I hope the task will not be difficult." The students were part of a group of 17 undergraduates from Mansoura University that arrived in New York on 29 July, on a one-month exchange programme to Montana State University. Six students made it to Montana, but the rest fled in pursuit of the 'American dream'; within days the 11 were in FBI custody. Mansoura University, assisted by the Egyptian Embassy in Washington, DC, has hired lawyers to defend the students and bring them home as soon as possible. Like immigration agents, Abu Rayan believes the students violated their visas with the intention of staying and working in the US. "Fortunately, federal agents are repeatedly emphasising that they do not believe the Egyptians pose any security threat," revealed Abu Rayan, who will be in the US for 10 days. "Once the investigations are over, they will return to Egypt within the coming two weeks." Mohamed Suweilam, deputy head of Mansoura University for Education and Students Affairs, told the Weekly that the failure of the students to show up at Montana had damaged the university's nascent cross-cultural exchange programme. Suweilam was contacted by a Montana University official who said that although the episode will not prejudice future student visa applications from Mansoura University, Montana must re-examine its relationship with Mansoura University. "Clearly there are some significant issues that must be revised," Suweilam quoted the official as saying. Abu Rayan has been in daily contact with the six students who did make it to the Bozeman campus in Montana, where they are taking immersion courses in English language and American culture. After the FBI launched a frantic man-hunt more than three weeks ago, the reception for the six students at Montana State University turned "unfriendly," according to Abu Rayan. "They felt they were not free," he said, adding that the students told him university officials would not allow them to travel off campus without supervision. But as time went by, the students reported being happier and Abu Rayan believes the host university is doing its best under difficult circumstances. "It hasn't been easy for these students since they have been repeatedly interviewed by Homeland Security," divulged Abu Rayan. "They do suffer a bit, but the university is working hard to deliver the kind of programme designed for these students." Suweilam is hoping that US authorities would take a chance on Mansoura University students again. "We will not stop the exchange programme and we are looking to strengthen cooperation with the American people," he said. "And also to have American students come to Egypt." He pledged to continue promoting American culture in Egypt's rural Nile delta, where the incident has triggered a backlash against the university's exchange programme in the fundamentalist Muslim press. According to Suweilam, the number of Egyptian students traveling to the US to continue their education is on the rise. About 75 students are completing their post-graduate degrees in the US for the year 2006-2007, compared to only 40 for last year. Meanwhile, some 40 US students are in Egypt for their degrees during the year 2006- 2007, compared to 29 the last year.
