VIDEO: Three American college students arrested in Egypt
Three American college students are under arrest in Egypt, accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at security forces during the protests there. (Photo from Reuters video.)
Three American college students are in Egyptian custody, accused of throwing bombs at security forces during the ongoing protests there.
The students, identified as Gregory Porter, 19, of Glenside, Pa.; Luke Gates, 21, of Bloomington, Ind.; and Derrik Sweeney, 20, of Jefferson City, Mo., are accused of throwing Molotov cocktails from on top of a building at the American University in Cairo. All three students are enrolled at universities in the states, but were studying abroad.
“We are waiting for them to be transferred to the prosecutors office,”a spokesman for the Justice Ministry told The New York Times. “A lawyer from the embassy is with them now.”
“Messages posted over the weekend to a Twitter account under the name of Luke Gates and with references to the American University in Cairo and a picture resembling one of the arrested men included several messages related to the protest. One message read: ‘yes live bullets we have the shells, i was here!!’ and included a link to a news report on deadly street clashes. Another message was: ‘we were throwing rocks and one guy accidentally threw his phone.’ the Times said.
According to the Associated Press, the three have been held since Monday but there’s no word if any charges have been filed.
All three were questioned by prosecutors in Egypt in the presence of a lawyer provided by the U.S. Embassy.
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