A convicted Al-Qaeda sympathizer with plans to kill Americans has been teaching young children at a Staten Island Muslim Community Center, sparking outrage among local officials and raising serious questions about safety and oversight.
At a Glance
- Tarek Mehanna, convicted in 2011 for conspiring to kill U.S. citizens, has been teaching Arabic and the Qur’an to children as young as 4 at the Muslim Community Center of Staten Island
- Mehanna was released from federal prison in August 2024 after serving part of his 17-year sentence
- While incarcerated, Mehanna was placed in a special unit to prevent him from radicalizing other inmates
- The community center claims Mehanna’s teaching role ended over a month ago but maintains they believe in second chances
- City officials and community leaders have strongly condemned his involvement with children
Convicted Terrorist Teaching Children
Tarek Mehanna, a man convicted in 2011 for conspiring to kill American citizens and providing material support to Al-Qaeda, has been teaching at the Muslim Community Center of Staten Island. According to multiple reports, Mehanna was instructing children as young as 4 years old in Arabic and Qur’anic studies beginning in January 2025. His hiring came just months after his August 2024 release from federal custody, where he had been serving part of a 17-year sentence.
The FBI has documented that Mehanna was actively involved in providing material support to Al-Qaeda and had sought military training for jihad. Court records show he translated and distributed jihadist propaganda online, hosted “movie nights” featuring extremist content, and was involved in planning attacks on American shopping malls and soldiers. Evidence presented at his trial indicated he had attended an Al-Qaeda training camp in Pakistan.
Special Prison Monitoring
During his incarceration, federal authorities took extraordinary measures to limit Mehanna’s influence. He was placed in the Communications Management Unit (CMU) at USP Marion, a special housing unit designed specifically to prevent inmates with terrorism connections from radicalizing others. Despite these restrictions, Mehanna allegedly continued writing articles justifying jihad against the United States while incarcerated. He also filed complaints about prison conditions, claiming discrimination against Muslim inmates
Upon his release in late August, Mehanna quickly resumed controversial social media activity. Reports indicate he has posted content mocking Israeli soldiers and maintained the same anti-American rhetoric that characterized his pre-prison communications. These activities have raised serious questions about whether any rehabilitation or deradicalization occurred during his time in federal custody.
Community and Official Response
Mehanna’s teaching position at the Muslim Community Center was initially announced by the center’s founder, Mohamed Bahi, in a Facebook post that has since been deleted. As news of his role spread, fierce opposition emerged from city officials and community leaders. The Muslim Community Center has since stated that Mehanna’s teaching role ended over a month ago, emphasizing their belief in second chances and transformation through education
City Councilman Frank Morano has expressed strong opposition to Mehanna’s involvement with children, stating: “I’m all for second chances — but not when it comes to convicted terrorists teaching kids. That’s not rehabilitation — that’s insanity.” Similar concerns have been raised by City Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, who noted: “It’s clear he still harbors the same anti-American hatred he held before his sentence. The ‘education’ these children are receiving is being administered on American soil and should reflect the values and interests of our nation.”
“This is the role model that kids should be looking up to? This is a role model? Someone desperate to become a terrorist? It’s a model of terrorism.”, said former Brooklyn Assemblyman Dov Hikind.
Calls for Congressional Action
The controversy has prompted calls for Congressional action to address the broader threat of radicalism from individuals like Mehanna. Experts have pointed to significant gaps in the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ approach to deradicalization of terrorism-related offenders. Patrick Dunleavy, a counterterrorism expert, has emphasized that there is currently “no viable deradicalization program for incarcerated terrorists” in the U.S. prison system.
As tensions continue to rise in Staten Island, this case highlights the complex challenges facing communities and law enforcement regarding the monitoring and reintegration of individuals with terrorism-related convictions. The situation raises fundamental questions about balancing second chances with public safety, particularly when children’s welfare is at stake.
