Ahmed Mohamed, 14yr old arrested over clock mistaken for bomb

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Igottago

OK I'll take race right out of it.

Random kid brings his science project to school. Shows it to teachers, claims it is a clock. Another teacher later sees it and feels uneasy. Teacher proceeds to confiscate the potential bomb and call authorities. So now the teacher is holding the bomb and the school hasn't been evacuated. Authorities handcuff the kid and still haven't evacuated the school, meanwhile trying to determine threat level.

This seems like a really really stupid way to handle a potential bomb situation.

Of course all you would have to do is snip the red, no... the green, wait! the blue wire, and the bomb would be defused.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

No you don't because the fact that it wasn't a bomb is totally irrelevant to the investigation that happened. If you understood that you wouldn't bother mentioning the fact that it wasn't a bomb because it's pointless. It doesn't mater. A block of cheese and a paper clip could be used as a hoax bomb.

Yeah, fair enough. The fact that it wasn't a bomb and nobody actually believed it was a bomb and the kid said it wasn't a bomb and told his teacher it was a clock is totally irrelevant.

If it looks like a clock in a pencil case, smells like a clock in a pencil case, and is in fact a clock in a pencil case, it might be a sophisticated weapon made by a child.

I'm convinced. This was a completely rational, logical response and could not have been handled better by the teachers and police.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by Igottago

The quality of the clock and the kids intelligence is irrelevant. The question is whether the authorities took the right steps in this situation. I would argue no.

I think the teachers did the right thing*, the police violated Ahmed's rights. It is relevant to me if this kid did indeed invent or create something versus pretending he did.

* the teachers did not think the case/clock was a bomb but from what I've read they were concerned or wondered if there was a bomb hoax, or at the least found Ahmed's motivations questionable. The cops were outright dicks and didn't bother to follow the law.

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

If it looks like a clock in a pencil case, smells like a clock in a pencil case, and is in fact a clock in a pencil case, it might be a sophisticated weapon made by a child.

I'm convinced. This was a completely rational, logical response and could not have been handled better by the teachers and police.

The teachers cannot take ANY CHANCES. Period.

[calgaryblood]

Originally Posted by zamler

The teachers cannot take ANY CHANCES. Period.

Yet, like it has been mentioned dozens of times, they did.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Yet, like it has been mentioned dozens of times, they did.

No. Please watch this to get some perspective. Language NSFW.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGit-XltUB4

[opendoor]

Originally Posted by zamler

No. Please watch this to get some perspective. Language NSFW.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGit-XltUB4

How does that rebut the idea that if teachers and administration thought that it was potentially a bomb that they willfully endangered the lives of everyone in that school by not treating it like one?

And if they didn't think it was a bomb, then why all the drama? From what I understand he never said it was a bomb, never threatened anyone, so what kind of bomb hoax is that? If they truly realized it wasn't a threat and he wasn't claiming it was a bomb, then you confiscate the item and call his parents in to discuss the matter. You don't get the police involved and have him arrested over a clock.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by opendoor

How does that rebut the idea that if teachers and administration thought that it was potentially a bomb that they willfully endangered the lives of everyone in that school by not treating it like one?

This is all completely made up and is irrelevant the teachers never thought it was a bomb but were concerned about it in their eyes being made to look like a bomb. And that Ahmed brought it to the attention of every teacher he could. Right or wrong this is why the police got involved.

Also I hope you realize the teachers are not the ones who arrested the kid.

[Red Potato Standing By]

I thought he only brought to his engineering teachers attention and only to the other one because the alarm went off. Besides wouldn't it of been more prudent just to call his parents if they weren't worried that it was a bomb?

[Looch City]

Probably thought the parents were part of it and planning some sort of terrorist attack.

[Red Potato Standing By]

Better watch out for backpacks as well. I heard they can look like bombs as well

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by Zethrynn

Better watch out for backpacks as well. I heard they can look like bombs as well

That's why a lot of high schools in the USA have metal detectors and or bomb sniffing dogs. (yes, I know you were being sarcastic)

[Red Potato Standing By]

Maybe this school should get one then save some hassles.

[justafan]

It's sad all this fear about terrorism. Ironically most of the school violence, Presidential killings and other attacks like Timothy McVeigh were home grown terrorists, but difficult to wage war on white Anglo Saxons. Can't help but feel race/religion plays a part in this instance.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by justafan

It's sad all this fear about terrorism. Ironically most of the school violence, Presidential killings and other attacks like Timothy McVeigh were home grown terrorists...

This kid is American, born and raised is he not?

[justafan]

Originally Posted by zamler

This kid is American, born and raised is he not?

American, not sure if born or not. Doesn't take away from my assumption that 'they', Americans, are afraid. I am allowed to wonder if his race,religion had a part, esp. with police acknowledging they knew the family and were not surprised. Also I look whiter than anyone posting here probably, so not relating to this on that level. As a mom, maybe I feel for him.

[zamler]

Originally Posted by justafan

American, not sure if born or not.

Well you seemed to imply that home grown was inherently a white male.

[FlamesAddiction]

I tend to think that the kid was purposely trying to be funny by making the device and setting it to beep in class. He probably thought he would get an "Oh you! ", reaction from the teacher and some laughs from the students by the obvious fake bomb, yet still having an obvious bomb-likeness. It was probably a satirical joke based on his ethnic background. I remember being that age and 14 year olds love to get attention.

No matter if he was being a bit of jackass or not though isn't really the issue. It's the response and behaviour of the adults that seems questionable and needs to be reviewed. Having said, that, has the kids version been corroborated by anyone else?

[Frequitude]

To those questioning why he built it in that case, it's standard practice to build electronics projects in metal boxes to protect the delicate components and crappy solder jobs and to shield against electromagnetic interference. I built a radio as a university engineering project in a metal case almost exactly like that. We all did.

[justafan]

Originally Posted by zamler

Well you seemed to imply that home grown was inherently a white male.

I guess I did. As far as I have seen, school shooters, McVeigh, Waco mess...they were all white. But my point was I wondered if his treatment was part in fact he was Muslim. im pretty sure I can wonder about that. 5 policemen to subdue and cuff him? In the end there are worse situations than this,of course.

[justafan]

Originally Posted by Frequitude

To those questioning why he built it in that case, it's standard practice to build electronics projects in metal boxes to protect the delicate components and crappy solder jobs and to shield against electromagnetic interference. I built a radio as a university engineering project in a metal case almost exactly like that. We all did.

Yes my daughter showed me lots of people tweeting pictures of their projects or their kids projects that they got away with taking to school.