Posted on 12/28/2004 5:34:02 PM PST by NormsRevenge
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - An Orange County mosque leader from Egypt who authorities said had given speeches that could be considered supportive of terrorist organizations agreed Tuesday to leave the United States voluntarily, giving up his fight to remain in the country.
As part of the agreement with government attorneys, Wagdy Ghoneim avoids deportation in exchange for admitting he was in the United States in violation of his immigration status, said Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement.
He must leave the United States by Jan. 7. By agreeing to voluntary removal, Ghoneim, the imam at the Islamic Institute of Orange County, is eligible to reapply for entry into the country.
Ghoneim, 53, was arrested at his Anaheim home last month on an immigration violation, but authorities had declined to disclose details about the case.
At the time, his lawyer and supporters said the arrest was a mistake and that he expected to be released soon.
Ghoneim has been held without bond since then "based upon Department of Homeland Security concerns that his past speeches and participation in fund-raising activities could be supportive of terrorist organizations," Kice said, declining to provide further details.
Attorneys for Ghoneim did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Tuesday.
His agreement to leave the country comes a day after Southern California Muslims met with Rep. Christopher Cox, R-Newport Beach, to protest his detention.
About two dozen Muslims presented a petition with more than 1,000 signatures to Cox, urging him to investigate the arrest of a man described by local Islamic leaders as a respected scholar.
Ghoneim, a native of Egypt, arrived in Detroit in 2001 on a visitor's visa. He was later authorized to remain in the United States on a visa for religious workers until June 20, 2004, according to documents provided to his attorney by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
His attorney has said that Ghoneim applied for an extension of his visa and was awaiting word from immigration authorities on whether he would be allowed to remain in the United States when federal agents arrested him.
Good bye to bad rubish.
Well..at least they got one.
Exile is better than jail or execution. He can continue to plot and scheme, but he can't do it here.
One down..about 2 million MORE to go..
Auto accident would have been better.
None of these scumbags has a "right" to be in this country. Get 'e,m all the hell out.
Torture for a few months, then auto accident!!!
Let him head west and then start swimming.
That gives us another 1024 names to put on the watch list! Check'em out, then ship'em out!!!
Auto accident---or he gets dumped out of a plane
;-)
What the heck was he doing here anyway? Good riddance to bad rubbish! All these imams seem to always be working at Islamic Centers or Islamic Institutes, which are euphemisms for terroritst training centers!
No problemo. His buddies at the State Dept. will arrange for him to be back in no time. Mark my words.
There's more than one jihadist in that Anaheim mosque. They should root them all out.
Its a start.
That sounds like at least 1,024 pending investigattions, assuming we're f**king serious about the "War On Terror"
Damn right....I am not that far away .....
Don't let the door hit you on the way out, Ghonie!
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