E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSThe State Department is investigating how a member of a group designated by the U.S. government as a "foreign terrorist organization" received a visa to come to the United States and this week had meetings with high-level U.S. officials.
Hani Nour Eldin, a member of Egypt's parliament — elected after the popular protests that led to the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak in 2011, was also a self-proclaimed member of Gama'a al-Islamiya, blamed for a spate of violence in Egypt in the 1990s, according to a report by the Daily Beast.
Eldin held meetings at both the White House and the State Department as part of a delegation of Egyptian lawmakers, and confirmed in an interview that he was a member of Gama'a — which the United States listed as a terror organization in 1997.
The delegation met with "a number of folks around town" including Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns, and Under Secretary of Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Robert Hormats, according to State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland.
"I'm not going to say what may result," Nuland said when asked about his status in the country. She would only say that the department is reviewing how Eldin was issued a visa.
The delegation's meeting at the State Department focused on transfer to civilian rule, protection of human rights and democracy in Egypt, Nuland said.
The State Department says the members of the delegation were invited by the Wilson Center, a think tank in Washington, D.C. The Wilson Center has not returned a request for a comment.
Watch World News videos on msnbc.com
Gama'a was once Egypt's largest militant group but by 2010, it was described as a "loosely organized network," according to a 2010 State Department report. The report says the group's primary goal was to replace the Egyptian government with an Islamic State.
Sheik Umar Abd al-Rahman, considered spiritual leader of Gama'a, is serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison for his involvement in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the government report says.
Eldin, who told the Daily Beast he was not a terrorist but a legitimately elected member of parliament, said he had requested that al-Rahman be transferred to an Egyptian prison, but that U.S. officials had denied the request.
But the group issued a ceasefire in the late 1990s, and in 2003 the group formally renounced violence, and hundreds of its members were then released from jail.
Following Mubarak's overthrow in 2011, Gama'a al-Islamiya established the Building and Development Party, and took part in the parliamentary elections as part of a bloc of Islamist parties.
Reuters contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- Iran sanctions trap both clerks, customers
- Young bullies apologize for tormenting bus monitor
- BMW misses parking spot, lands on Jaguar, Mercedes
- Alleged police impersonator busted pulling over actual cop
- Video: 10-year-old gets tattoo, grandpa gets in trouble
Follow US News on msnbc.com on Twitter and Facebook
Leave a Comment:
This is scary. I can understand maybe getting by one thing but to get as far as this guy did is something else. I thought we had more check points.
Obviously, TSA did not do their job.
Obama EXEMPTS Muslims.
Good grief. How many "unaccounted for" individuals accompanied him and his "group" when he entered the U.S. ?
Oh, meetings all over the beltway with EMPHASIS on meetings in the White House and in the State Department.
Now, that really explains it.....talk with your enemies (uh, terrorists) first, then hand out the American taxpayer dollars.
Yes, TSA.....Frisk that grandmother AGAIN !!!!!!!
Since the Muslim Brotherhood was welcomed at our Whitehouse, why is it such a surprise that this guy has also been there? Or was this a follow up on another of those mysterious leaks? We seem to give aid and comfort to a lot of our enemies and law breakers these days i.e. hope for illegals.
This was the group that massacred scores of tourists in Luxor Egypt in 1997.
I understand the syrians want a new muslim leader. They can have ours.
Rather it be that than Christian..considering there was never a J in the Hebrew language
So... tell us what it is like to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia? Interesting area of study, indeed.
Coming to rash conclusions before you know any facts. Tell us more? Do you hear voices?
I wondered how long it would be before the nitwit Obama comments started. I didn't have to wait long. Moooselm!!!!! KOMMMIE!!!!!! Haycorn!!!!! Jebediah Wright!!!!!!!Liberal MARXIST?LEnnonist!!!!!Kenyuan!!!!! Big EARS!!!!Billl Ayeers!!!!!!!!! Obadoba Dooo WIlma!!!!!Just sayin.....
Accident, or agreement? No matter which it was this only shows the gross and complete incompetence of our state department. What kind of imbeciles do we have that allowed this low life hate filled muslim killer into our country?
The Obama Administration truly is the most transparent Administration in my lifetime. I can see right through it.
The State Department is in charge of visas, not TSA.
Ms. Clinton's folks wanted to facilitate a planning symposium for future operations.
The same ones pandering to the ACLU - you know- those who moonbats say absolutely NOTHING when some Islamic nutjob gets hold of his gun and kills his fellow comrades at a camp in Fort Worth, or when a criminal illegal alien kills a border patrol agent or some of our school kids- yet scream bloody murder when we make any attempts to control our borders and protect our soverignity.
"the group issued a ceasefire in the late 1990s, and in 2003 the group formally renounced violence", how issuing him a visa is different than the Bush admin, re-establishing diplomatic and trading relations with Libya (a former terrorist state responsible for the Lockerbie airliner bombing) and allowing Qaddafi to enter the US and the Libyan government buying properties in the US.
Did Bush also exempt Muslims?
It seems like he is one of President Obama's peace loving muslims. He probaly had less trouble than a member of the Isreali government. HOPE and CHANGE NOBAMA/NOBIDEN 2012
Anybody reading Egypt Independent is aware that US/Obama/State have been prompting Muslim Brotherhood since )Obama's speech in Cairo. If US is spending 'trillions' on its War on Terror- innocent kids and old women being subjected to body searches- even MS sufferers- then where was Hoeland Security/National Security/CIA/FBI/State Security personbnel/Obama's WH /CI people in allowing Hani Nour Eldin , a member of Gamaa Islamiya (al-Zawahiri's branch with Blind Sheikh Rahman- the faciliator,indoctrinator,enabler of Islamic Jihad) in assassinating Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and acts of terrorism (Luxor etc). State/HRC is telling Egypt to install Mursi (MB?FJP) as its Pfresident before all lawsuit and premarked ballots on Masri's behalf (2 million premarked ballots) by LE1 million bribe to Al Amirieya publishing house printers. Pentagon/Panetta ditto.- Obama's National Security Personnel allowing this terror member to visit WH and have a personal attaendance by Nat,Sec.Council's chief McDonough and to be directed to the Dept. of Justice to have his proposal of Obama granting the release of Sheikh Rahman (1st World Trade Center bombing in 1993) to MB custody and to finish his jail time in Egypt. No answer yet if DOJ granted him audience to plead his case or not. By the way US/State/HRC seems to forget too that the Supreme Court of Egypt dissolved the Parliament on unconstitutionality- so the Muslim rotherhood members with Noir/Salafists were welcomed to the WH. Who's the next terror member to be invited to the WH? and DOJ?
This administration is smelling rotten these days.
Can we put Obama and Holder on the no fly list?
Better yet - have them take off in Air Force One - w minimum fuel - and not allow them to touch back on US soil. Let them keep Air Force One.
We can think about putting them on after you've been on for a few years.
More than likely the invite came from Romney, Boehner and Ryan.
This terrorist/ politician, has agreed to play nice with the USA as long as both factions can illegitimately wipe each other's butts on occasion. Nothing wrong with the good ole' American way, selling out. He probably left on the CIA payroll and hedged his market options.
How did he get a visa you ask? um um um.. wait.. there must be some agency we can blame this on.
If it looks like SH$T, acts like SH$T, smells like SH$T, and feels like SH$T, then why must we keep tasting it?
Gee!.......I wonder who dropped the ball...(again) and let this nefarious bastard in the front door to, not only our country, but to the front door of the White House?
Could it be a conspiracy? Could "They" be taking over our country?..........Naw!....It was probably the same idiots who let the White House Party Crashers, Michaele and Tareq Salahi, in the front door of the White house also........NBD...(No Big Deal.) If the idiots can't stop an eleven year old Mexican kid from jumping a Border fence, what makes you think the Feds can stop their own idiocy!
.................I'm afraid that we're all DOOMED..
Have you noticed this kind of stuff only comes out on Friday nights? Is that because they hope no one will notice? Looks like if we want to know what Washington is really up to we have to save Friday night for checking up on them. More and more and more seemingly sympathetic moves toward certain groups of people should be raising a lot of red flags here in this country. Time for people to wake up before they slip in and take over more than we can put down. November is save or sink time for this country. If you don't love Romney, too bad, he is the least evil of the choices and this year it is ABO or goodbye to the Constitution and our freedoms and our country as we have know it. And not voting at all is a vote for Obama so get out there and do your countries duty.
Hey Everybody - as soon as Obama was "elected" - in 2008, he allowed Radical Muslim Tariq Ramadan into the USA - who has been on the No-Fly List since 2005.
He is teaching at one of our American Universities = Islamic studies, et al.
Tariq Ramadan's Grandfather founded The MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD.
*
Obama also began Granting RELIGIOUS visas - to ANY MUSLIM who wanted to enter The USA = no questions asked - without any time limits.
However, any Christian missionary or preacher requesting a Religious Visa - would have to adhere to the requirements to enter = provide proof of "preaching" and/or "missionary" work - for Two YEARS; identify church - (or Mosque)- affiliations in The USA and abroad.
Muslims COMPLAINED it was OFFENSIVE - to be required to identify their affiliations w Mosques in The USA and abroad. Obama gave MUSLIMS a Free Rein = no questions asked, no time restrictions to be in The USA.
****
Under the Radar,The Democratic Party's Obama and Holder have ARMED a FOREIGN INVASION - w their Operation Fast and Furious - arming Illegal Aliens and Narco-Terrorists w ASSAULT WEAPONS, providing safe haven on US soil to CRIMINALS, protecting their access in/out of The USA.
Under the radar, The Democratic Party's Obama, Holder, Napolitano, Hillary Clinton - have been allowing RADICAL MUSLIMS to enter THE USA - undetected, unrestricted.
As Obama stated in his speech in Cairo, Egypt - in June 2009 - when addressing the Arab and Muslim world = ".....come to America, the Land of Opportunities, our doors (borders) will always be open to YOU".
And that was before AMERICANS became aware of Obama halting all raids by INS, ATF, ICE - upon ILLEGAL ALIENS; halting the building of the fence along the US/Mexican border; forcing our US Border Agents to adhere to his deranged RULES of ENGAGEMENT to not use lethal force - only "bean-bag ammunition" - when dealing with people illegally entering the USA who "might" be armed when Obama and Holder were ARMING a FOREIGN INVASION with their Operation FAST and FURIOUS.
That is how US Border Agent Brian Terry was shot and killed with Weapons from Operation Fast and Furious - from Obama's Rules of Engagement jeopardizing the lives of our US Border agents - serving our country on US soil.
Obama invoking Executive Privilege - on Holder's refusal to produce documents and to respond to subpoenas issued by the House Oversight Committee, is ANOTHER Cover-up - of the Cover-up.
A WHISTLEBLOWER called to our Senators to inform them - weapons from Operation Fast and Furious were found at the crimes scenes of the cold-blooded murders of US Border Agent Brian Terry - and ICE Agent Jaime Zapata - that Eric Holder and The Department of Justice w ATF - were operating to conceal.
Obama and Holder shoud be PROSECUTED - for devising another Cover-up....Stonewalling.....to conceal their Criminal Acts - against the American people.
WOW the dribble that can come out of peoples mouths , I guess you forgot all the terrorist that GW Bush met with or the fact that he protected OLB family and got them out of the country just after 9/11 so the FBI and CIA could not interview them or the fact that GW before he was president was bailout by OBL's brother from his business debacle by not only paying all the debts GW ran up but then turned around and brought it for a very inflated price !!! His brother for year had been funding Terrorist groups for year before and after this happened !!! So before you start pointing the finger at OBAMA start with the people who started it and were in bed with them for years on a personal level !!!
axiom
Is the fact that BUSH IS NOT THE PRESIDENT, EVER going to penatrate into your partisan heads ? ! ? !
Using past bad behavior, real or precieved, to justify current bad behavior is immature and destructive to any future progress!
Fina the trolll
In case you';re interested here are some facts:
Killled due to islamic terrorism on U.S./ soil duringBush's first term appproximately 5,000.
Killled due to islamic terrorism on U.S./ soil during Obama's first term appproximately 17.
And I predict the number will be even lower after Obama is "elected " to his second term.
Ronald Hussein Reagan:
Ronalds, why would they want to Kill on the Watch of one of their Biggest Supporters???
"And I predict the number will be even lower after Obama is "elected " to his second term."
Well Yeah, they will be calling This country Their Own....
How much are they paying you for this garbage you are spouting?
Proud2baVet THough I find it hard to believe you really believe in the ridiculous stufff you post,I'll' ask yuu to take off your ideological blinders, if you can and pose a question to you - WHy did OBL express a particular desire to klll Obama and Petraeus? Do I have to answer this for you or are you willling to take of your ideologifcal blinders and look at things as they are?
Ronald Hussein Reagan: So OB is the ever loving Hero of the war because HE GOT OBL.... If memory serves me right, BO sat in a safe room watching it unfold on a TV set...
He didn't track him down, he didn't risk his ass trying to kill him... He risked NOTHING... and if that Mission had failed... I tell you, It would have been covered up and the Amercian People would have known nothing about it...
Ronald, Can you explain to Me and the rest of the world why it is that BO will not let the country know what really happened to HIS 'Gun Runners' that cost the life of one of our agents and BO will not even Acknowledge The Man Died for no Real Reason... He is covering it up....
You can quyote me fact and figures of all the past Preseidents, But that is just that... THE PAST...
As for the disparity in numbers of thoes Killed... Do ya thank That MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, the heighted Security we had in Place after 9/11 might have had something to do with it? I mean after all BO had NOTHING to do with the shoe Bomber or the Underware Guy who were in a position to take Many Lives if their Bombs had worked correctly...
So Please don't EVEN try to Mix apples with Oranges... Both are fruits, Both grow on trees But after that Nothing is the same.
Proudo -were you aware that George Washington never touched an oar on his famous trip across the Delaware ? his men did alll the work!!!!! As far as what Obama was risking by okaying the raid that got Osama; I think it's safe to say he risked his Presidency as the RIght WIng jackals would have something real to whine about instead of alll the make believe stuff that's beeen programmed into them. And did you think that the Mexican cartels wouldn't be able to fnd a gun elsewhere. As usuasl every single one of your Radio inspired arguments is proven to be nothing but hot air where you start out with a premise (Obama is bad) and twist and spin everything until it seems like Obama might even be Bad. How has anything President Obama done affected you personallly? SHort list, huh? ANd don't you think the presssure that Pre4sident Obama put on AL QAEda had something to do with the downturn in succcesssful atttacks. THose guys are afraid to walk from the living room to the outhouse because of the predators.
Ronald Hussein Reagan: I have to admit, at least you are consistant... The first thing you do is Bring up something from the PAST... Got to Love it.....
"THose guys are afraid to walk from the living room to the outhouse because of the predators."
As for your 'Short List"
(1) Are these the same "Drones" that now fly over Mine and your houses watching everything we do?...
(2) I/We can now be Arrested for any reason the Govt wants and locked away without right to council .
(3) A new law that President Obama has secretly passed, means that wherever Obama is you as an American citizen do not have the right to say anything against him or ask him a question that he doesn’t like, or his secret service people will have the right and obligation to arrest you and charge you with a felony. You can be fined and imprisoned for more than a year. Anyone Obama gives secret service protection to will be protected under this law. Doesn’t this sound like he is more like Hitler than Lincoln?
If you do not believe this, a copy of Bill H.R. 345 Here:
(4) My choice To choose weather or not you wan't health insurance.
Hell I could go on, but after all you asked for a short list...
Take Care and God Bless
this really takes the cake here the state dept issues a visa to a terrorist and allows him to come here to the US and i can't even get my wife a tourist visa to come and visit her in-laws. where is the justice on that they won't let my wife have a visa because they are afraid she might not return to china but they allow a terrorist to come here that might possibly kill american citizens sounds like somebody in the state dept took a little pocket cash home with them
Just make a large campaign contribution to a PAC and see how quickly your wife gets a visa!!
You folks have got it all wrong... the TSA only stops SUSPECTED Terrorist... Not KNOWN Terrorist.... Like Amercian Infants, High School Students, 90 year old GrandMaw's, and Cripples.....
Besides... Nothing to worry about... I mean After All, was he NOT INVITED by our Govt? I mean come on now, OB wouldn't do anything WRONG to this country, now would he....
And for Tommorw's weather,,, We have cloudy Skies, temps in the Mid to Low 'Where did My Country Go' with a strong chance of the US of A being hit with a sever case of "Obama Executive Privilege".
But on the Bright side folks... Traffice on the Hershey Highway should be smooth sailing all across This GREAT LAND.....
Good Night Chet, Good Night David....
Lets ask Holder what his thoughts are... Man, are we in trouble..... Americans cannot be that stupid to put this turd in office again, can they?? Are there any liberals with a spine left???
Perhaps the real question should be are there ANY LIBERALS of any kind left? All I've seen for the past four years are Progressives !
Who actually runs Washington? Who pays these so called think tanks that don't seem to be thinking much but are more willing to negotiate with terrorists (pay them off)?
Oh my hell! I think Hilary needs to take off those purple glasses and kick some butt at the visa section of the US Embassy in Cairo. First point of failure! Second point of failure was the fact that this character's name was not on the no fly list for airline passengers entering the USA. The next failure came at ICE when he was allowed to enter the USA, visa or no visa some crosschecks failed.
So were all of these government braniacs out partying in the cathouses with the Secret Service. This is beyond embarrassing. It is an affront to all victims of terrorism against the USA and certainly to our brave women and men who serve so bravely and to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
THIS CRAP MUST STOP. WHERE IS THE DISCIPLINE? ENOUGH!!
This not the 1st time known terrorists have visited the White House. Terrorists (Foreign and Domestic) have visited the WH a hand full of times. Each time a foreign terrorist visited, the WH claimed they didn't know it. Excuse me! I know BS when I hear it. No one visits the WH, for an official function, without the Secret Service vetting them first.
A few quick observations: 1. A terrorist from Egypt does not visit the 2nd highest ranking person in the State Dept, without the Secretary of State (Hillary Clinton) knowing it. 2. Why is Eric Holder (DOJ) not involved in this investigation? 3. Why isn't anyone asking DHS what their part was in this? 4. Who "looked the other way" at TSA? Who ordered the TSA to look the other way? 5. Who chose to ignore the US No-Fly List?
Considering how little attention this is getting, why isn't the major news channels not reporting this to the public? Alternatively, will this be covered up by Obama & Holder, like Operation Fast and Furious was. For the critics, yes I know others have invoked Executive Privilege. However, this is the 1st time ever in our nations history that an American was Murdered and a president did this. What Nixon comes no where near what Obama just did.
The bottom line here is that (yet again) we have another security breach. BHO's primary job is to protect us from Enemies both Foreign and Domestic. Obviouely BHO gets a "F" in doing his primary job.
Interesting Obvservation. Notice how silent Obamas leftist or, socialist or nihilist or communist friends are on here?
phillykevin:
WHY WHY WHY... everytime BO does something AGAINST this country do People Insist on saying... Well Bush did this or Bush did that... Damn ya know How CHILDISH that is...
Sally gets caught taking a 2 cookies after mom had said no... Sally say... Well Billy took some too.... All that is is Sally refusing to take responsibilty for her actions. Altho this is a pretty simple analogy it is the same thing I see here so many times.....
BO gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar and everybody says well Bush did this or Bush did that... Does it make it RIGHT? Does that FIX the PROBLEM? Hell No it does NOTHING.
As Long as WE The People keep pointing to PAST MISTAKES the present Adminstration knows they can get away with ANYTHING...
I am NOT SAYING forget the Past, What I am saying is DON'T LIVE IN IT.
Analogy 2:
The Fire Department is called to a structure fire... When they arrive, they do not stand around and discuss how many times the building ower had been sited for not install fire suppresion, nor do they try and figure out how or who started the fire.... THEY PUT IT OUT... then they work on these other things....
That is what OUR govt needs to do RIGHT NOW, Put OUT THE FIRES and THEN try and figure out the '5 W's'
And FOLKS BUSH is NO LONGER in the WH... And to the best of my knowledge, He is really not good friends or one the BO would turn to for advice... So Let it go, Once we are out of Danger, then we can GO BACK and point blame....
As once heard on Star Trek: 'Only a Fool Fights in a Burning House'
Thanks for the ears.....
This just keeps getting better and better. Can the American people in their collective wisdom possibly sign this cast of clowns up for another four years? Romney might not be all that and a bag of chips, but dayum. I used to be shocked, now I am just amused.
I have to agree they have yet to produce presidential material in either party.
So until they do let's all vote knowing the hurt any candiate can do in eight, is far more than they can do in four. Let's vote them out, rather than in, until we have one that work's for us!
Obama let one of his Jihadi friends in, but Aunt Sarah still can't travel because TSA will not remove her name from the no-fly list. Obama will declare "executive privilege" and try to hide the truth.
Mohammad Atta got a passport and they knew who he was.
I suppose it is not too surprising that the White House would welcome a "former terrorist"...hell, his side won, I guess that makes him a patriot. Now he gets a place at the table. The meeting was to show him whats on the menu.
Don't you just love diplomacy. It's so Democratic.
The confidence I have in this administration is about as low as the knees on a cockroach. And, I don't even know if cockroaches have knees.
You comment ignores so much. What was the main target after 9/11? Osama bin Laden. Did Bush get Osama? No. How many years was he president? 8. Did Bush admit to giving up on his search? Yes. Who finally got Osama? President Obama. How long did it take him to kill Osama? 3. I think you need to figure another lame reason to hate the president.
One man's terrorist is another man's patriot , after 9/11 we have put everyone who does not want to be controled by us in the category of terrorist instead of a group that wants to make thier own choices for their country !!! We were working with the Taliban for years before 9/11 and only when they did not want a pipeline running through their country did they get on this list even tho they had been cutting the heads off of men and woman for all those years that we were buddy buddy with them even as they aloud OBL to stay in their country !!! The only thing that changed was they said NO to the Oil Companies !!! And you do understand that we are not the only people with a terrorist list there are many countries that have our past president and many other people on their lists and rightfully so for what was done to them and their country !!!
Just one of Osama al-Barack bin-Hussein Obama Mohammed, II's buddies.
Maybe the Wilson Center needs Investigating. How very easy it is for Terrorist's to come to this country. Yeah our borders are very secure, no need to worry folks.
This is why the Obama Administration wanted Mubarak out?
Yet, if you or I walk into an airport we can't even smile wrong. And that goes for children, infants and old ladies. But if you are a real terrorist, free pass. So, basically all the crap we put up with was for nothing when one get through. Thanks Homeland Defense! BTW, I hate the term "Homeland". Sounds so English and European.
Did President Bush get Osama? No. Who finally got Osama? President Obama. All you pissy Republicans are so off base it's sounds funny. Obama has kill more top ranking terrorist than all of the 8 years of Bush. The Republican terrorist kill record for top members is poor.
Come on people, surely you aren't that stupid. I'm sure he was invited to the White House with a personal invitation from Obama himself. Our Muslim leader probably couldn't figure out how to justify making another secret trip over there to pass on our security secrets and hand them their financial aid for this month, so he invited him and his group over here. I'm also sure all us good ole American taxpayers are paying for everything to accommodate them.
Obama is washing our country down the drain while we all just sit back and let him. He is doing it so blatantly and just daring anyone to say anything. Every step has been carefully planned and he is sticking to his agenda on how to TOTALLY destroy us and our country. Why is it taking so long for you to wake up and see the fraud for what he really is?
Stop pointing your finger at everyone else and put the blame where it REALLY belongs, at Obama.