Where are the missing Egyptian men?

Where did the 11 Egyptian "cultural exchange" students get off to?

Seventeen students got off the plane at JFK in New York City, a week and a half ago. Only six have shown up for their classes at Montana State University in Bozeman. The rest are somewhere in the US of A, doing God knows what.

Never fear. The US has revoked their student visas, and FBI special agent Richard Kolko says his agency and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) "would like to locate these 11 students in order to speak with them." That's right. Give 'em a good talking to, if you can find 'em.

Keep in mind that one of these days some group of "free as a breeze" visitors is going to do something perfectly awful, and some supra-congressional committee is going to want to know how it happened so they can pin the blame on conservative leadership. This is why Kolko's next comments are insipid and dangerous:

Kolko said there is no reason to believe the missing students, all men around 20 years old, represent a threat.

"At this point, all they have done is not show up for a scheduled academic program, and their visas have been revoked," Kolko said.

"We do not know of any association with any terrorist or criminal groups. There is no threat associated with these men. We have simply asked law enforcement's assistance in locating them so that the FBI and ICE may interview them."

There's no reason to believe the missing men are students either, or that they do not represent a threat. As for what they have or haven't done, Kolko doesn't know, so his reassurances are wasted breath.

The men have e-mail accounts but have not responded to e-mail inquiries. You'd think 11 lost foreigners who are on the up-and-up would want to be contacted.

For all we know these men are trained chemists or fighters with the Islamic Brotherhood who have a completely novel idea of "cultural exchange."

Or not. It's not as if we are at war with Islamic fascists or anything. Who knows how many colleges and universities across America are busy arranging flight schedules for "students" without the slightest idea of who these people really are or what they believe! Certainly wouldn't want to put a hold on any programs and look a bit insensitive, would we?

Sleep well tonight, America.