Taher Albanna

Overview

Taher Albanna is the son of Mohammed Albanna, a leader of the Yemeni community with links to an “alleged al Qaeda terrorist cell,” in Buffalo, New York.

Albanna has spread anti-Semitism posts on Twitter and promoted hatred of Zionists on social media.

As of June 2018, Albanna was a member of the Muslim Students Association (MSA): St.Bonaventure Chapter Facebook group, to which he was added in 2012.

On May 14, 2015, Albanna tweeted that he graduated from Trocaire College (Trocaire) in Buffalo, New York.

As of May 2018, Albanna used the the alias “Homemade Yemenade” on Twitter.

Family Links to Al Qaeda

Albanna is the son of Mohammed Albanna, a leader of the Yemeni community in Buffalo, New York, with links to an “alleged al Qaeda terrorist cell in the Buffalo area.” In 2002, Mohammed Albanna was arrested with two other family members and charged for “running an illegal money-transfer business.”

Mohammed Albanna’s nephew, Jaber Elbaneh, is “listed as an unindicted coconspirator in the case of six men” who were charged for “providing material support to the al Qaeda terrorist network.”

In 2017, Mohammed Albanna ran “for a seat on the Lackawanna City Council.”

Anti-Jewish Social Media Posts

On September 23, 2016, Albanna tweeted: “let's blame the yahood [Jews] for this.”

On January 21, 2016, Albanna tweeted: “@calipalidunya @abdulkar_93 no ur slim lip witcho jew a**.”

On December 15, 2015, Albanna tweeted: “@calipalidunya u argumentative lil jew shut up.”

On September 23, 2015, Albanna tweeted: “@ockman24 @calipalidunya roses are red violets are blue dunya is a no lip jew.”

On August 25, 2015, Albanna tweeted: “@calipalidunya but idk wat belinda is nd u are a yahoodi [Jew].”

On November 18, 2014, Albanna tweeted: “@LAbdallah11 @dena_abdallah u didn't get the joke I said than?? Rite cuz ur creativity for funny jokes lacks u jew.”

On July 10, 2014, Albanna tweeted: “@anwarmuthana yea that wat I heard that yemeni are from jewish decent but I never believed it nd I was too focused on wantin to beat his a**.”

On the same day, Albanna tweeted: “I remember someone told me the ancestors of Yemen were jewish or somes**t...I wanted to crush him.”

On April 8, 2014, Albanna tweeted: “@Hyyerrho cheap? Idc money aint s**t I'm no yahoodi [Jew].”

On March 14, 2013, Albanna tweeted: “@lean_emz @sully_1225 hes basically sayin ur big fat huge dark jewish nose is pointin to mecca.”

Promoting Hatred of Zionists

On June 18, 2017, Albanna tweeted: “Jus finished wonder woman...s**t was trash.” Albanna added: “Watched it online that's how I boycott.”

Albanna’s tweet referred to Israeli actress Gal Gadot, who portrayed the DC Comics character Wonder Woman in a 2017 American superhero film.

On January 25, 2016, Albanna tweeted: “@calipalidunya figures ur poisonous zionist heart only enjoys killin babies nd not a good show.”

On August 31, 2015, Albanna tweeted: “@calipalidunya yea watevez u zionist swine.”

On August 16, 2015, Albanna tweeted: “@calipalidunya so u were killin them??!!? I knew it u murderous zionist pig!”

On September 28, 2015, in response to a question on Ask.fm that read: ‘Who are your heroes?” Albanna replied: “God, carlton from the fresh prince, ma dad, batman, bruce lee, palestinian rock throwers....”

MSA

The MSA was established by members of the Muslim Brotherhood in January 1963 at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with the goal of "spreading Islam as students in North America." A 2004 FBI investigation uncovered an internal Muslim Brotherhood document in which a brotherhood leader identified the MSA as "one of our organizations."

The MSA reportedly has “nearly 600 chapters” located in the United States and Canada, and is “the most visible and influential Islamic student organization in North America,” boasting conferences, special events, publications, websites and other activities.

The organization includes a number of previous chapter presidents with explicit links to terrorist groups. Included are al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki (Colorado State University), Somali al-Shabaab militant leader Omar Shafik Hammami (University of South Alabama) and Pakistani Taliban recruiter Ramy Zamzam of the MSA's Washington, D.C. council.