Spring Break
Student decries Floridian officials' accusations, approach
Fatimeh El-Sherif
Issue date: 9/16/02 Section: News
Three students ate a breakfast last week that has since turned their lives around. Eunice Stone of Cartersville, Ga. called the authorities when she allegedly heard the three making references to Sept. 11 and laughing at Shoney's in Gainesville, Fla.
Stone told the press that she heard no actual plans, but when the students made reference to "bringing something down" she assumed "that meant they were planning to blow up something."
The three third-year students of Ross University School of Medicine were on their way from Chicago to Miami. Omer Choudhary, a Kansas City native, sat in the second car.
Komel Choudhary, a pre-dental student and younger sister of Omer, explained the situation.
"They wanted to get there as quick as possible and drove nonstop until they stopped to eat at Shoney's," Komel said.
Conversation, according to Choudhary, was related to the fact that they were running late for their clinical rotation at a Miami area hospital. The three young men needed to help Omer buy a car that day and find an apartment for the semester.
"They were discussing what kind of car he should get and where they should look for a place to stay," said Choudhary. "It was a normal conversation that you have with your friends."
Thirteen hours after Stone "alerted" the police, the students went through a tollbooth, and as both vehicles stopped to pay, the two cars were closed in on by multiple squad cars.
"They thought they were getting pulled over for speeding or something, but then there were seven cars and they were yelled at to get out of the car and get on the ground," said Choudhary. They were quickly handcuffed behind their backs and each put into separate vans.
Komel said the students were wearing attire average to any suburban 20-something and bearing American accents, IDs and citizenship (either by birth or naturalization) allegedly made no attempt to escape or become hostile, as mentioned in previous articles. She said the police held a gun to the head of the man of Palestinian descent wearing a skullcap and held the trio at gunpoint during much of the questioning.
"They were not being disrespectful," Komel said. Concerning accusations that they were playing a prank on the restaurant patron, she said: "They are educated guys, they're not that stupid. They would not say anything like that; it's tragic and no one would joke around about it."
While in FBI custody, Omer was repeatedly asked about his cultural heritage. He replied that he was an American.
When asked where he was from, he replied America. Then he was asked about his parents and family connection to Pakistan.
His entire family resides in the United States, and both his parents are American.
The students were held for 17 hours before they were informed of why they had been detained. Each time Choudhary and his classmates asked and were told that the police did not have the authority to tell them.
"They were stuck in handcuffs, and on TV they [the media] said that they were treated nice," Komel said. "In 18 hours they were given one small turkey sandwich and not allowed to use the bathroom."
After it was all over, there was no formal apology from the lady or the authorities, Komel said.
In fact, after being freed the students faced new challenges. The CEO of Larkin Community Hospital, the hospital they were en route to perform their clinical rotations at, informed them that they were not wanted.
"The CEO of that hospital has refused to take them in because the hospital is getting phone threats," said Choudhary. "Luckily the medical school is very supportive; they said 'We know these guys, they are excellent students. We're going to support our students.'"
Komel Choudhary said that she understood that if there was a valid suspicion it should be investigated. But she also said that the students had no idea who the woman was and felt the woman held a previous bias against Muslims. She also claimed that the authorities handled the situation incorrectly.
"They were supposedly just taken in for questioning, but they were held at gunpoint," Komel said. "Not even those considered as suspects are treated like that; it's not normal."
Many other area Muslim students fear the prejudices in our newly tarnished society.
Habeel Gazi, a senior in computer science and a Muslim, said, "We need to realize that there are difficult times, but we respect the authorities in law enforcement and what they are doing. However, our rights are important and shouldn't be compromised as well."
Choudhary has one piece of advice to other Muslim students: "If this sort of thing happens to any Muslim, don't stay quiet. And take whatever measures you have to protect your innocence."
Stone told the press that she heard no actual plans, but when the students made reference to "bringing something down" she assumed "that meant they were planning to blow up something."
The three third-year students of Ross University School of Medicine were on their way from Chicago to Miami. Omer Choudhary, a Kansas City native, sat in the second car.
Komel Choudhary, a pre-dental student and younger sister of Omer, explained the situation.
"They wanted to get there as quick as possible and drove nonstop until they stopped to eat at Shoney's," Komel said.
Conversation, according to Choudhary, was related to the fact that they were running late for their clinical rotation at a Miami area hospital. The three young men needed to help Omer buy a car that day and find an apartment for the semester.
"They were discussing what kind of car he should get and where they should look for a place to stay," said Choudhary. "It was a normal conversation that you have with your friends."
Thirteen hours after Stone "alerted" the police, the students went through a tollbooth, and as both vehicles stopped to pay, the two cars were closed in on by multiple squad cars.
"They thought they were getting pulled over for speeding or something, but then there were seven cars and they were yelled at to get out of the car and get on the ground," said Choudhary. They were quickly handcuffed behind their backs and each put into separate vans.
Komel said the students were wearing attire average to any suburban 20-something and bearing American accents, IDs and citizenship (either by birth or naturalization) allegedly made no attempt to escape or become hostile, as mentioned in previous articles. She said the police held a gun to the head of the man of Palestinian descent wearing a skullcap and held the trio at gunpoint during much of the questioning.
"They were not being disrespectful," Komel said. Concerning accusations that they were playing a prank on the restaurant patron, she said: "They are educated guys, they're not that stupid. They would not say anything like that; it's tragic and no one would joke around about it."
While in FBI custody, Omer was repeatedly asked about his cultural heritage. He replied that he was an American.
When asked where he was from, he replied America. Then he was asked about his parents and family connection to Pakistan.
His entire family resides in the United States, and both his parents are American.
The students were held for 17 hours before they were informed of why they had been detained. Each time Choudhary and his classmates asked and were told that the police did not have the authority to tell them.
"They were stuck in handcuffs, and on TV they [the media] said that they were treated nice," Komel said. "In 18 hours they were given one small turkey sandwich and not allowed to use the bathroom."
After it was all over, there was no formal apology from the lady or the authorities, Komel said.
In fact, after being freed the students faced new challenges. The CEO of Larkin Community Hospital, the hospital they were en route to perform their clinical rotations at, informed them that they were not wanted.
"The CEO of that hospital has refused to take them in because the hospital is getting phone threats," said Choudhary. "Luckily the medical school is very supportive; they said 'We know these guys, they are excellent students. We're going to support our students.'"
Komel Choudhary said that she understood that if there was a valid suspicion it should be investigated. But she also said that the students had no idea who the woman was and felt the woman held a previous bias against Muslims. She also claimed that the authorities handled the situation incorrectly.
"They were supposedly just taken in for questioning, but they were held at gunpoint," Komel said. "Not even those considered as suspects are treated like that; it's not normal."
Many other area Muslim students fear the prejudices in our newly tarnished society.
Habeel Gazi, a senior in computer science and a Muslim, said, "We need to realize that there are difficult times, but we respect the authorities in law enforcement and what they are doing. However, our rights are important and shouldn't be compromised as well."
Choudhary has one piece of advice to other Muslim students: "If this sort of thing happens to any Muslim, don't stay quiet. And take whatever measures you have to protect your innocence."
