MORE DEVELOPMENTS RE THE BUFFALO / LACKAWANNA SIX:
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — The uncle of one of the six western New York men accused of belonging to an al-Qaida terror cell was arrested by federal agents Tuesday after raids on buildings in Buffalo and suburban Lackawanna.
A published report had said the man being sought would be charged with illegally sending $3 million to Yemen.
Mohammed Albanna, a leader in the area’s Yemeni community, was arrested by Customs and Drug Enforcement Administration agents in the doorway of his Buffalo store, the Queen City Cigarettes and Candy Co.
Asked if he was guilty of anything, Albanna said: “Not at all.” He said he would issue a statement later.
Several men in a passing car shouted abuse at police as Albanna was put in a patrol car and driven off.
Albanna is the uncle of Shafal Mosed, 24, one of the so-called Lackawanna Six, the Yemeni-American men indicted in October on federal charges of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization.
Interesting. We also learn this:
The warehouse where Mohamed Albanna was arrested today has been in the news before… and has a connection to a member of Lackawanna’s Muslim community. Carol Kaplan reports.
The telephone number of the Clinton Street warehouse being searched this morning traces to Mohamed Albanna. And if that name is familiar, it should be.
Mr. Albanna is vice-president of the American Muslim council — and related to three members of the alleged Lackawanna terror cell.
Mr. Albanna — and his Queen City Candy Company — have a history of being in the news.
A search of Channel 2 news archives shows he was arrested on arson charges for allegedly torching his warehouse exactly 10 years ago this month. Losses were put at over a million dollars.
Albanna was acquitted — ironically, his alibi at the time is another name we’re familiar with — his nephew, Jaber Elbaneh. Jaber is believed to be one of the missing Lackawanna co-conspirators currently at large in Yemen.
I think there’s more to this story.