Algul departed from The Garden Of Eden, the gourmet farmers' market he managed, in the New York City borough of Brooklyn at approximately 8:30 p.m. on December 27, 2001. The business is located in the 100 block of Montague Street. Algul's loved ones say he was in a "trance-like state" when he left.

Algul boarded the number 2 subway train in the neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights shortly afterwards. A co-worker saw him on the train and tried to speak to him, but Algul did not repond. He unexpectedly exited two stops later at the Wall Street station in the borough of Manhattan. Algul has never been heard from again.

Algul's family believes he may have been picked up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and detained as a suspected terrorist after his disappearance. During the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, many Muslim men and men of Middle Eastern descent were detained. The FBI denies having him in custody, however. Algul's loved ones also hypothesize that he could have had a nervous breakdown, but they do not believe he committed suicide. There is no evidence to support any theory.

New Jersey authorities are handling Algul's investigation. His case remains unsolved.