Schools
Clarke Community Reacts to Samir Khan's Killing
American jihad and Clarke graduate Samir Khan was killed in Yemen on Sept. 30.
A young Pakistani-American known for his radical blogging after Sept. 11 and his work as an editor and publisher for the al-Qaeda's Inspire Magazine once walked the halls of
Samir Khan, 25, Sept. 30 in Yemen from the same drone strike that took the life of Yemen-American terror supporter Anwar al-Awlaki. Khan relocated to Yemen in 2009 where he started the al-Qaeda's English-language online magazine.
Khan spent his early years in New York, moving from Queens to Westbury at a young age. In 2003, Khan graduated from W.T. Clarke High School, shortly before he and his parents moved to Charlotte, North Carolina.
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At Clarke High School, Khan wrote for The Vanguard and played junior varsity football. With his graduation photo, Khan shared the following quote in his high school year book: "If you give satan an inch, he'll be a ruler."
The news of Khan's killing not only grabbed the attention of an entire nation, but it hit close to home in the East Meadow community.
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Sarah Carbone, a lifelong resident of East Meadow, graduated from Clarke High School one year prior to Khan. Though she doesn't remember him from her high school years, Carbone saw the whole situation as surreal.
"It was scary to think that someone who had basically the same experience that I had, grew up and went to school just like me, could develop a hatred so powerful." Carbone said.
"I think that even though he wasn’t the direct target, it was a strategically smart move because he was dangerous in a way that other terrorists aren’t," she added. "He wasn’t some figure who grew up on the other side of the world. He literally spoke our language and that made him so much more effective at reaching possible people here."
Derek Baco, 25, also attended Clarke High School in the same years as Khan. Baco did not agree with Khan's beliefs, but also felt as an American citizen, his killing was unjust.
"I don't think his killing was justified," Baco explained. "He was an American citizen and never actually committed a crime."
Though Baco did not agree with the killing, the Westbury native was shocked to see someone of such a high profile status grew up in his hometown.
"I think it goes to show that anything can happen anywhere and you really can't assume things," he said.
