14-year-old arrested after his homemade clock was mistaken for a bomb meets President Obama but announces he's moving to Qatar



A high school student who was arrested by police after his homemade digital watch was mistaken for a bomb was invited to the White House by President Obama, and the meeting finally came to fruition. The high school student then

announced that he would not continue living in the United States but would instead move to Qatar to continue his studies.

'Clock kid' Ahmed Mohamed and his family will move to Qatar - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/clock-kid-ahmed-mohamed-and-his-family-will-move-to-qatar/2015/10/20/a95ed296-7762-11e5-b9c1-f03c48c96ac2_story.html?tid=sm_tw

US 'clock boy' Ahmed Mohamed to move to Qatar - BBC News
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-34587285

Ahmed Mohammed, a 14-year-old high school student from Texas, USA, loves to invent things. One day, he brought a homemade digital clock to school and showed it to several teachers. They mistook him for a bomb and arrested him.



This is what Mohammed looked like when he was arrested. A tweet showing him handcuffed and surrounded by police officers sparked a public response, and a movement of support for Mohammed and his family began on Twitter with the hashtag

#istandwithahmed . Mohammed was later cleared of suspicion of bombing and safely released.


Celebrities have also voiced their support for Mohammed, with one particularly controversial tweet from President Obama: 'Are you willing to bring that to the White House? We need more kids like you who are interested in science. That's what makes America great.' This tweet caused a stir as the sitting president invited a 14-year-old high school student to the White House.


Finally, on October 19, 2015, Mohammed got his chance. He was one of 300 guests invited to 'Astronomy Night' at the White House, where he met President Obama.



He tweeted on his Twitter account a picture of them actually meeting and hugging.


Although Mohammed finally got the chance to meet the president, it seems he had his sights set on a different path.

After his arrest, Mohammed received offers from universities in the United States and abroad with scholarships, as well as job offers from many companies. He ultimately chose the Qatar Foundation , based in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar. The Qatar Foundation offered Mohammed a full scholarship to cover his tuition fees until graduation, and he will be participating in the 'Young Innovators Program' to continue his education. A press release announcing Mohammed's acceptance of the offer was posted on the Qatar Foundation's website.

Qatar Foundation | Ahmed Mohamed Accepts Scholarship to Qatar Foundation



While it may seem like he decided to move to Qatar despite the generous invitation from President Obama, there were many other events going on behind the scenes. Mohammed's sister, Aiman, said in a phone interview that while there were high expectations surrounding Mohammed, which motivated her, it was also true that a 14-year-old boy had a lot to handle.

A major factor in the conspiracy theories, particularly those circulating online, claiming that the arrests were staged for publicity, appears to have been a major factor. These theories are also aimed at Mohamed's father, Mohamed Elhassan (pictured right), who once competed for the presidency of Sudan. Elhassan has also been linked to the burning of the Quran, Islam's holy book, by American pastor Terry Jones on International Quran Burning Day in 2011. These factors, combined, may have contributed to Mohamed's reluctance to attend school in the United States.



Mohammed has commented on his move to Qatar, saying, 'I love the modern city of Doha. Doha has many excellent schools, some of which are affiliated with famous American universities. The teachers are also excellent. I think I'll be able to learn a lot and have fun here.' His sister Aiman also mentioned that the atmosphere in the Middle East is not much different from that of the United States, saying, 'Qatar is among the Arab countries, but at the same time it has a Texas-like atmosphere. It's like 'Texas in Qatar.''



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