Va. man allowed to return to the U.S.
A Virginia man whose travels to Yemen landed him on the U.S. no-fly list and left him stuck in the Middle East for months will be allowed to return to the United States.
Yahya Wehelie (weh-HEEL-ee), 26, of Burke has been stuck in Egypt for more than two months but is now expected to arrive in New York on Friday afternoon. FBI agents had been questioning him about his time in Yemen. Wehelie went to Yemen almost two years ago at his parents' urging to study Arabic.
Wehelie said in a phone interview that he does not know why U.S. officials reversed course, but said he holds no ill will toward the government for its investigation.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim advocacy group, had taken up Wehelie's cause and questioned how Muslim citizens could be barred return to the country without due process.
-- Associated Press
By
Washington Post editors
| July 15, 2010; 12:49 PM ET
Categories:
Virginia
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Posted by: MarilynManson | July 15, 2010 1:13 PM | Report abuse
It is ridiculous that this govt. allows this "SECRET NO-FLY LIST," obviously riddled with errors, to wreak havoc IN THE LIVES OF AMERICAN CITIZENS, LEGAL, LAW ABIDING RESIDENTS AND EVEN CHILDREN. CONGRESS needs to immediately address this ongoing problem because citizens and residents have a right to know if and why their names are on it and be allowed an opportunity to refute their names being placed arbitrarily or mistakenly on this list which has been compiled by the FBI.
Posted by: hotezzy | July 15, 2010 5:57 PM | Report abuse
I can kind of understand the government's point of view in this matter since Yemen is a hot bed of Al Qaeda terrorist training.
Posted by: zcxnissan | July 15, 2010 7:51 PM | Report abuse
Thank allah that our muzlim brother is back n the lower 48:)
Posted by: cr10 | July 15, 2010 10:00 PM | Report abuse
I'd keep a close eye on him.
Posted by: waterfrontproperty | July 15, 2010 11:34 PM | Report abuse
Nothing to create a feeling of patriotism in a citizen like being barred from his country of birth. If he wasn't hostile to the US before, it wouldn't be a surprise if he was now.
Posted by: gonekiwi | July 16, 2010 5:47 AM | Report abuse
Since when does the USA, the self-styled "Land of the Free", issue secret travel bans on its citizens without any due process whatsoever?
It's shocking that most Americans don't even think twice about such police-state tactics; they think it's "normal" for some government bureauacrat to be able to unilaterally decide "OK, you aren't allowed to travel anymore" without any hearing, without any recourse, without any oversight.
Posted by: kcx7 | July 16, 2010 6:59 AM | Report abuse
Since the no fly list is intended to protect me, my family and my fellow Americans I believe it is a necessary tool in which the benefits outweigh the cost. If more Muslims would stand up to their Muslim "brothers" and support our country perhaps we would reduce these incidents. Until the American Muslim community becomes more vocal about how they feel about their country and those who threaten it, I (and many others) will continue to wonder about their loyalties. Their silence is deafening except when taking umbrage.
Posted by: dmt3 | July 16, 2010 8:13 AM | Report abuse
Why how is this possible? This story doesn't surprise me at all. Besides the airline strip searches, long waits in lines in the name of security, wondering why a fuel truck is parked along side the road, what's in the railroad box car as it passes you, it's just another thing that we have to thank our Muslim brethren for.
You can believe that it's not a question of "will", but "when" that dirty bomb will go off somewhere.
Posted by: reesemichael | July 16, 2010 8:33 AM | Report abuse
Even the best efforts of terrorists have about zero chance of taking away our freedom. The government, on the other hand, can quite easily do it.
We're worrying about the wrong threat.
Posted by: kcx7 | July 16, 2010 11:07 PM | Report abuse
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there needs to be some kind of recourse for anyone on the no-fly list.
if this guy is a real danger, the government should be able to prove that in an open court.
if they can't prove it, just sit him next to an air marshall and let him fly home.