On January 5, 2001, a group of supporters of Professor Saad Eddin Ibrahim (SEI) and the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies (IKCDS) met with the Egyptian Ambassador to the United States, Nabil Fahmy. The group included Drs. William Zartman, Michael Hudson, Diane Singerman, Judy Barsalou, and Naiem Sherbiny. They expressed their concerns. The Ambassador acknowledged the difficulties of the pending case, he expressed dismay at the continued negative portrayal of Egypt by international observers, despite positive changes.