Page 3 - ATD23Jan2016

U.S. NEWS A3
Saturday 23 January 2016

US student held in North Korea, little information released

Small American flags have been placed in the trees in front of a skilled soccer player. Wy- tainees. “You have to be ington, Seoul and their al-
the Warmbier family home, Friday, Jan. 22, 2016, in Wyoming, oming City Schools spokes- careful what you say.” lies to slap Pyongyang with
Ohio. North Korea on Friday announced the arrest of Otto Warm- woman Susanna Max said Tepe said Fowle is “doing tough sanctions for a re-
bier, a university student from Ohio, for what it called a “hostile Warmbier was the saluta- wonderful” and seems to cent nuclear test.
act” orchestrated by the American government to undermine torian of his 2013 graduat- have adjusted well to life North Korea has occasion-
the authoritarian nation. ing class in the highly rated at his home near Dayton. ally announced the ar-
public high school. Fowle, a married father of rests of foreign detainees
(AP Photo/Gary Landers) An attorney who represent- three, attends church regu- in times of tension with the
ed Fowle in 2014 advised larly with his family and re- outside world in an appar-
caution for those involved turned to a job in the city ent attempt to wrest con-
with the student. of Moraine’s street depart- cessions or diplomatic ma-
“They (North Korea) kind ment, Tepe said. neuvering room. North Ko-
of trickle information out, Fowle said in 2014 he had rea also regularly accuses
but what’s actually go- left a Bible in a North Ko- Washington and Seoul of
ing on can be very differ- rean nightclub in hopes it sending spies to overthrow
ent,” Lebanon attorney would reach underground its government to enable
Timothy Tepe said, adding Christians. the U.S.-backed South Ko-
he learned North Korean North Korea’s announce- rean government to con-
authorities monitor reports ment Friday comes amid a trol the entire Korean Pen-
and comments about de- diplomatic push by Wash- insula. q

DAN SEWELL bier’s immediate release
Associated Press and keep (his) family con-
CINCINNATI (AP) — Officials stantly apprised.” Kasich
in North Korea and the U.S. said North Korea should
released little information either provide evidence of
Friday about a university alleged anti-state activi-
student from Ohio who was ties or immediately release
detained for what the au- Warmbier. The U.S. Depart-
thoritarian nation called a ment of State said it was
“hostile act.” “aware of media reports
Otto Warmbier is the sec- that a U.S. citizen was de-
ond person from southwest tained in North Korea.” A
Ohio to be detained in China-based tour com-
North Korea in less than two pany specializing in travel
years. A Dayton-area man, to North Korea, Young Pio-
Jeffrey Fowle, was held for neer Tours, confirmed that
nearly six months in 2014. one of its customers, identi-
North Korea’s state media fied only as Otto, had been
said the University of Vir- detained in Pyongyang,
ginia student entered the the North’s capital, but
country under the guise provided no other details.
of a tourist and plotted Social media accounts for
against North Korean unity Warmbier show interests in
with “the tacit connivance finance, travel and rap mu-
of the U.S. government and sic. Warmbier is majoring in
under its manipulation.” economics with a minor in
The date of his arrest was global sustainability and
unclear, as were any de- was on the dean’s list.
tails of what he did. A professor at the univer-
Ohio Gov. John Kasich, sity’s school of commerce,
campaigning in New Jeremy Marcel, called
Hampshire as a Republican Warmbier “a very intel-
presidential candidate, ligent, wonderful young
called the arrest “inexcus- man.” A Theta Chi frater-
able.” His Columbus office nity brother, Miles Kirwin,
released a letter he sent to added, “He’s an incredible
President Barack Obama, guy.” Warmbier was a top
urging his Democratic ad- student at his high school in
ministration to “make every a northern Cincinnati sub-
effort to secure Mr. Warm- urb and was described as