Video: Freed American student: ?It was very scary?

'ESTER HOLT, co-host: We do want to begin, though, with the homecoming for those three American students detained in Cairo this week. They were arrested last Sunday, accused of throwing Molotov cocktails off the roof of a building during a protest near Tahrir Square . After nearly a week of uncertainty in jail, they were released and are back in the US . Joining us now is one of the students, Derrik Sweeney , and his mother Joy . Good morning to both of you. Thanks for joining us.

Ms. JOY SWEENEY (Mom of College Student Released from Cairo Jail): Good morning.

Mr. DERRIK SWEENEY (College Student Released from Cairo Jail): Good morning, Lester .

HOLT: Derrik , what's it like to be home?

Mr. SWEENEY: It's really wonderful. The world is beautiful.

HOLT: And we mentioned, you've got some stories to tell. There's a picture of the three of you that was sent out this week after you were arrested. You are the tallest one on the right. And in front of you -- at one point one of the pictures has a bag of supplies for Molotov cocktails that you were accused of using. What was going through your mind at that time?

Mr. SWEENEY: That was perhaps the scariest moment of my life. I was not sure whether I would get to see America , my family, or my loved ones again. I actually fainted right after that, the only time I recall fainting in my life. It was very, very scary.

HOLT: And as we noted, there were some materials for bomb making or Molotov cocktails . You were accused, along with the other two other students, of throwing these off a roof. Were you even on the rooftop at the time of all this?

Mr. SWEENEY: No. That was actually one of the strangest things. I didn't know where that came from. We were never on a rooftop, and also we did not ever handle or deal or throw Molotov cocktails .

HOLT: Were you participating in the protests in any way?

Mr. SWEENEY: We were at the protests. We were there. We didn't even chant the slogans. It was in Arabic, couldn't really even understand most of it. So we were there but not really participating.

HOLT: Listen, at one point you do end up in jail, but before that you were held in captivity somewhere else, and I understand those were the most harrowing hours. Tell us about those first several hours in captivity.

Mr. SWEENEY: Yeah, the first -- the first hours they -- well, they threatened to force feed us gasoline. They put our shirts up over our heads so we couldn't see where we were at all, and they hit us in the face and the back of the neck a lot. Then we spent about seven hours in the fetal position with our hands behind our back, handcuffed in the dark, and they were behind us with guns saying that if we moved at all they would shoot us. And at that point, I sort of -- I just -- I just recall that existence is love and everything is beautiful. It was very scary.

HOLT: And as you're telling that story, I'm watching you mom, Joy , the look of worry across your face again. What was it like for those days trying to find the latest on Derrik , his whereabouts and whether he would get out?

Ms. SWEENEY: Oh, my goodness. It was such an emotional roller coaster, you know. And then to find out the story behind it, I mean, I knew that the entire time I was praying, everybody that I knew was praying. I got prayers, messages from people. Total strangers would stop me at the grocery store and say, 'I've been praying for your son's safe return.' And our prayers were finally answered and we're so grateful.

HOLT: And, Derrik , I have to assume you did a little some praying yourself. Was there a point when you think this homecoming might not happen, that this thing could go sideways in a hurry?

Mr. SWEENEY: There was a point when that possibility seemed quite logically likely, though I never really allowed it to enter my thinking too much.

HOLT: Well, listen, we're glad you're back together. I know you've got a delayed Thanksgiving meal, and we thank you for taking time to send with us this morning.

Mr. SWEENEY: Thank you.

Ms. SWEENEY: Thank you.

HOLT: All right, Derrik and Joy Sweeney . And now here's Jenna .

JENNA WOLFE, co-host: What a great spirit he has, huh? Lester , thank you.

Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/45452223/

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