Threatens $15 million lawsuit
Mohamed’s lawyers send letters demanding $10 million from the city of Irving and $5 million from the Irving Independent School District. The letters say Mohamed was publicly mistreated, and threaten lawsuits and seek written apologies.
Gets clock back
Mohamed’s clock is returned to him by Irving Police Department, who labelled it “hoax bomb” when it was filed into evidence.
GOT MY CLOCK BACK FINALLY!!😆😆 pic.twitter.com/7k9GXB7M4H
— Ahmed Mohamed (@IStandWithAhmed) October 23, 2015
Family will move to Qatar
Mohamed’s family announce that he will move with them to Qatar. The family apparently made the decision in the past 24 hours and will move next week so he can begin school at the Qatar Foundation, where he will receive a full scholarship.
After careful consideration of all the generous offers received, we would like to announce that we have accepted a kind offer from Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) for Ahmed to join the prestigious QF Young Innovators Program, which reflects the organization’s on-going dedication to empowering young people and fostering a culture of innovation and creativity.
Family retains legal counsel
Mohamed’s parents say they have retained legal counsel, and aim to recover his clock from the police. Statement:
The family says that Ahmed has been severely traumatized. The family wants justice and to ensure no family will ever have to experience what Ahmed went through again,
Withdraws from school
Mohamed’s father says he has pulled all of his children from their Irving Independent School District schools. He says the family is still deciding where to send the children to school. He says the turmoil surrounding the case has resulted in his son losing his appetite and not sleeping well.
Ahmed said, ‘I don’t want to go to MacArthur. These kids aren’t going to be happy there…It’s torn the family and makes us very confused.
Numerous schools have offered to enroll Ahmed, But his father says he wants to give his son a breather before making a decision.
Questions Mohamed’s ‘motives’
Dawkins writes a series of tweets that question Mohamed’s motives, and questions whether the clock was an invention at all. The scientist linked to a YouTube video entitled Ahmed Mohammed [sic] Clock is a FRAUD, in which user Thomas Talbot alleges Mohamed’s clock is in an invention, but a commercial bedside alarm clock removed from its casing.
If this is true, what was his motive? Whether or not he wanted the police to arrest him, they shouldn’t have done so…This man seems to know what he’s talking about…Assembling clock from bought components is fine. Taking clock out of its case to make it look as if he built it is not fine. Which is true?…Yes, there are other reasons why a boy might take a clock out of its casing & pretend he’d made it. Trying to impress teachers, for instance…If the reassembled components did something more than the original clock, that’s creative. If not, it looks like hoax.
If this is true, what was his motive? Whether or not he wanted the police to arrest him, they shouldn’t have done so https://t.co/LtOFAAmVxK
— Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) September 20, 2015
Takei offers support
In a Facebook message, Takei compares his own experiences in an internment camp to Mohameds arrest.
But I want you to know, while America may have done a terrible thing to me and my family, and to 120,000 other Japanese Americans, I have great hope for this country, and I believe we do learn. There was a Japanese word we often said in the camps: Gaman. It means to keep on keeping on, with dignity and fortitude. I think you understand this word already. While certain school officials and police officers may have shown you the worst side of our nation, I understand many others have since shown you the best side. I was touched to hear you say that we all have to be true to ourselves. Ahmed, you are now part of the story of America, and many will learn from your fine example. I see great things ahead for you.
Invited to Facebook
0 0 Mark Devlin Mark Devlin2015-09-16 15:32:482015-09-16 15:32:48Invited to FacebookObama tweets support
President Obama tweets support for Mohamed.
Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.
— President Obama (@POTUS44) September 16, 2015
Toronto science show invitation
Hadfield invites Mohamed to Toronto for October’s Generator event, a ‘science-based variety show’
Hi @IStandWithAhmed ! I'd love you to join us for our science show Generator in Toronto on 28 Oct. There's a ticket waiting for you.
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) September 16, 2015