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‘Clock kid’ Ahmed Mohamed moving to Qatar

by Jesse Byrnes - 10/20/15 7:19 PM ET

A day after briefly meeting President Obama at the White House, the family of the Texas teenager detained for bringing a clock to school announced they are moving to Qatar.

Ahmed Mohamed will join a program through the Qatar Foundation, his family said in a statement reported by multiple outlets.

{mosads}”Our family has been overwhelmed by the many offers of support we have received since the unfortunate incident of Ahmed’s arrest,” the family said in a statement.

“After careful consideration of all the generous offers received, we would like to announce that we have accepted a kind offer from Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) for Ahmed to join the prestigious QF Young Innovators Program, which reflects the organization’s on-going dedication to empowering young people and fostering a culture of innovation and creativity,” the statement continued.

“[The president] told me he meant what he said about wishing we had more scientists and kids interested in science. And I told him, ‘Soon I’ll get one of my projects on Mars.’ And he said, ‘I hope you will, I hope you will,’ ” Ahmed said, according to a local NBC affiliate.

Mohamed briefly met Obama on Monday during the White House’s Astronomy Night on the South Lawn, where the president personally greeted the 14-year-old.

Mohamed drew international attention last month after a homemade clock that he brought to school was mistaken for a bomb by teachers.

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