Yaseinn Taher
Encyclopedia
Yaseinn Taher is a Yemeni-American who grew up in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York
. In 2002, he was arrested and charged as part of the War on Terror
together with the other members of the "Lackawanna Six", based on the fact the group of friends had attended an Afghan training camp
together years earlier.
and weren't "regulars" at mosque
worship services.
Taher was captain of the Lackawanna Steelers soccer team, and dated the cheerleader Nicole Frick, whose Catholic parents approved of him since he seemed "more white" than most Muslim-Americans living in the area.
At his 1996 graduation, he was voted "friendliest" person of the graduating class. He attended community college
, while working odd jobs and living with his parents. In 1998, when Nicole informed him she was pregnant, the 18-year old Taher arranged a hasty Islamic wedding in his parents' living room.
Since Catholicism and Islam both allowed the marriage, on the basis that any children born to the union must be raised in their faith, Nicole and Taher argued over whether to raise "Noah" in the Catholic or Muslim faith. Taher subsequently became more religious, and began attending communal prayers every day, and discouraged provocative clothing and television. Nicole ostensibly converted to Islam after the birth of Noah, but still fought with Taher for increasing secularism.
Like his friends, Taher began attending regular get-togethers at the Wilkes Barre apartment of Kamal Derwish, who had also grown up in the area, but had traveled overseas and spoke of fighting with the insurgency in Palestine
and encouraged the friends to consider a Muslim's duty to defend the weak and innocent. At one point, he disagreed with Derwish, noting that although jihad
may be the correct path in Muslim nations attacked by outsiders, he could not support something like the USS Cole bombing
which took place in Yemen, a country that had not been invaded.
Taher, Moseb and Galeb all decided to leave together after Sahim Alwan
made it clear he wanted to return home and was unhappy with the tone of the camp. They were driven to Quetta
, and rather than wait a day for the next plane, took a bus to Karachi
so they could leave Pakistan immediately.
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. In 2002, he was arrested and charged as part of the War on Terror
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
together with the other members of the "Lackawanna Six", based on the fact the group of friends had attended an Afghan training camp
Afghan training camp
An Afghan training camp is a camp or facility used for militant training located in pre-2002 Afghanistan. At the time of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Indian intelligence officials estimated that there were over 120 training camps operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan, run by a variety of...
together years earlier.
Life
The Taher household was not considered devoutly Muslim, although they forbade their children to date, they also exchanged gifts for ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
and weren't "regulars" at mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
worship services.
Taher was captain of the Lackawanna Steelers soccer team, and dated the cheerleader Nicole Frick, whose Catholic parents approved of him since he seemed "more white" than most Muslim-Americans living in the area.
At his 1996 graduation, he was voted "friendliest" person of the graduating class. He attended community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
, while working odd jobs and living with his parents. In 1998, when Nicole informed him she was pregnant, the 18-year old Taher arranged a hasty Islamic wedding in his parents' living room.
Since Catholicism and Islam both allowed the marriage, on the basis that any children born to the union must be raised in their faith, Nicole and Taher argued over whether to raise "Noah" in the Catholic or Muslim faith. Taher subsequently became more religious, and began attending communal prayers every day, and discouraged provocative clothing and television. Nicole ostensibly converted to Islam after the birth of Noah, but still fought with Taher for increasing secularism.
Like his friends, Taher began attending regular get-togethers at the Wilkes Barre apartment of Kamal Derwish, who had also grown up in the area, but had traveled overseas and spoke of fighting with the insurgency in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and encouraged the friends to consider a Muslim's duty to defend the weak and innocent. At one point, he disagreed with Derwish, noting that although jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
may be the correct path in Muslim nations attacked by outsiders, he could not support something like the USS Cole bombing
USS Cole bombing
The USS Cole Bombing, or the USS Cole Incident, was a suicide attack against the United States Navy destroyer on October 12, 2000 while it was harbored and refueled in the Yemeni port of Aden. Seventeen American sailors were killed, and 39 were injured...
which took place in Yemen, a country that had not been invaded.
Taher, Moseb and Galeb all decided to leave together after Sahim Alwan
Sahim Alwan
Sahim Alwan is a Yemeni-American who grew up in the suburbs of Buffalo, New York. In 2002, he was arrested and charged as part of the War on Terror together with the other members of the "Lackawanna Six", based on the fact the group of friends had attended an Afghan training camp together years...
made it clear he wanted to return home and was unhappy with the tone of the camp. They were driven to Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
, and rather than wait a day for the next plane, took a bus to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
so they could leave Pakistan immediately.