‘Clock Kid’ Ahmed Mohamed and His Family Are Leaving America

"Clock kid" Ahmed Mohamed and his family announced Tuesday in a news release that they will move to Qatar, less than 24 hours after the 14-year-old met with President Barack Obama at the White House.

“Our family has been overwhelmed by the many offers of support we have received since the unfortunate incident of Ahmed’s arrest. From the White House to Sudan, to Mecca, we have been welcomed by a variety of individuals, businesses and educational institutions, which have all provided Ahmed with real encouragement and the ambition to continue to work hard," the family said in a statement.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

“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 family continued.

"This means that we, as a family, will relocate to Qatar where Ahmed will receive a full scholarship for his secondary and undergraduate education," the family concluded.

[sharequote align="center"]"This means that we, as a family, will relocate to Qatar..."[/sharequote]

Mohamed said he was "really impressed with everything that Qatar Foundation has to offer and the campuses are really cool."

"I got to meet other kids who are also really interested in science and technology," he said after accepting the scholarship. "I think I will learn a lot and also have lots of fun there.”

AP Photo/LM Otero

Mohamed generated national controversy last month when he was arrested for taking a homemade clock to school. Authorities contended that the device looked like a hoax-bomb.

The Texas student's story went viral online and resulted in him being invited to visit with several high-profile businessmen and politicians, including Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

Critics have questioned Mohamed's motive for bringing the device to school. Following the incident, the family announced that it had retained high-profile attorneys to “pursue Ahmed’s legal rights and regain his science project from the Irving Police Department.”

—

Follow the author of this story on Twitter and Facebook:

Follow @oliverdarcy