After 9/11, U.S. gave more visas to Saudi students

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http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/24/6014237-after-911-us-gave-more-visas-to-saudi-students

After 9/11, U.S. gave more visas to Saudi students
By Garrett Haake and Robert Windrem

Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, the Saudi student arrested Thursday on charges that he planned to build bombs for terror attacks inside the United States, was granted a U.S. student visa after qualifying for a generous scholarship sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, according to the indictment against him.

Aldawsari was one of 14,000 Saudi students granted student visas in 2008, an NBC News analysis of the visa program shows. Indeed, the number of Saudi students approved for entry into the United States has jumped more than fourfold since 15 young Saudis helped carry out the attacks on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. At the same time, visas granted to other Middle East nations dropped often precipitously or remained at the same level.

The analysis shows that 26,744 Saudi students received US F-1 and F-2 visas in 2010, up from 6,836 in 2001. The numbers have steadily increased as the Kingdom has provided financing for students, believing the students' exposure to the U.S. and its education system would help US-Saudi relations.

While overall non-immigrant visas from Saudi has dropped during the period from 2001 to 2010, the education visas have skyrocketed, in large part, say U.S. officials, because of the King Abdullah Scholarship program which sponsored Aldawsari... Administered through the Ministry of Higher Education, it is one of the most generous programs anywhere. According to the program's website, King Abdullah Scholarships provide financial support for scholarship recipients. Among the privileges it offers are the following: Monthly stipend, full tuition and fees, allowances for books and clothes, financial support for spouse and dependents, medical insurance...