Friends and former teachers of Truman High School graduate Omer Choudhary, one of three Muslim medical students detained last week in Florida, have offered encouragement and support in recent days, his father says.
"Many teachers have called, many high school classmates," said Javed Choudhary of Independence. "The support has been very positive."
Even though authorities eventually released Omer Choudhary and his colleagues, the hospital where they planned to continue their studies said they were no longer welcome there. An administrator of Larkin Community Hospital in Miami said the decision was made after the hospital received scores of hostile e-mails.
An alternate placement has been found for the three, but Omer Choudhary's former teachers and friends at the University of Missouri-Columbia are drafting a letter to ask Larkin officials to reconsider their decision.
"These three students were barred from entry even though the hospital was fully aware at the time that they had done no wrong, with the flimsy excuse that they couldn't protect them, or that there might be harm done to the hospital," said Miriam Golumb, an associate professor of biological sciences.
"This is pretty unprecedented."
The student she remembers from a genetics course does not at all resemble any terrorist profile, Golumb added.
"Omer is very kind and considerate, a gentle person," she said.
Omer Choudhary graduated from Truman High in Independence in 1997. At Truman High he was a member of the science club, the men's choir and the school's American Field Service club.
"He was a nice young man, a gentleman," said Molly Clemons, a former assistant principal at Truman High.
"I never dealt with him for any discipline problems. He raised no waves whatsoever. When I saw him on TV, I said, `I cannot believe this.' What he was being accused of, that is not Omer at all."
Choudhary graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in May 2001 with a bachelor's degree in biological sciences.
One of his former professors called Choudhary's father Monday night to offer support for his son, Javed Choudhary said.
"He said that he was very upset and that Omer had been a student of good character and had never caused any trouble," Choudhary said.
Javed Choudhary, who grew up in Pakistan, came to the United States in 1971 to attend radiology technological school. Almost 11 years ago, he left a job in Detroit to take a position as a radiological technologist at Truman Medical Center.
He is not surprised by the outpouring of support from friends and neighbors, Choudhary said.
"I love the community. That is why I have been here almost 11 years," he said.
Choudhary has two other children, who also graduated from Truman High. A daughter attends the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a second son is enrolled in an area community college.
Though he has spoken to Omer often in the last few days, Javed Choudhary is unclear about his son's immediate academic future.
Omer Choudhary, with two other Muslim medical students, recently completed medical training at Ross University in Dominica, an island in the Caribbean.
They were on their way to Larkin Community Hospital for further training late last week when they were stopped by police on Interstate 75 in Florida. Authorities were acting on a tip from a woman who said she heard the men make alarming references to the Sept. 11 attacks while eating at a Calhoun, Ga., restaurant.
In an interview Monday on CNN's "Larry King Live," Omer Choudhary suggested that the woman misconstrued comments such as "bring it down" to mean the men planned to blow something up. In fact, Choudhary said, the discussion involved possibly transporting a car from Kansas City to Florida.
The Kansas City Star could not reach Omer Choudhary on Tuesday.
The three men were detained for 17 hours Friday. Authorities searched their cars for explosives but found none.
Ross University has placed the three students elsewhere, Javed Choudhary said.
"They were only supposed to be in Miami for three months," he said. "After that, they were going to go to another hospital. Now, with all this commotion, they will be going to a different place, a different hospital."
Choudhary doesn't know the precise location.
"We don't know. The school has said that they have made other arrangements, but I don't know myself."
