After spending his freshman year and part of his sophomore year at the Islamic-affiliated Al-Huda School in Paterson, Alessa, who is charged as a terror suspect, transferred to North Bergen High School in December 2004, school officials said.
Just two months later, Alessa, now 20, was placed on home instruction by the district "because of concern for the safety and well-being of other students and staff members," said Paul Swibinski, a spokesman for North Bergen.
Swibinski would not elaborate on what occurred at the school that had students and faculty fearful, but said: "School officials were very concerned about his presence in the school."
Swibinski added that when Alessa met with teachers at the North Bergen Public Library there was always a school security officer present.
In September 2005, Alessa transferred to KAS Prep, an alternative public high school that is operated by the Hudson County Schools of Technology and located in the same building as High Tech High School in North Bergen, records show.
KAS Prep is an evening school where students who typically do not succeed in traditional educational settings are placed, Swibinski said. Alessa didn't make it through a full school year there and transferred back to North Bergen High in March 2006, where he was again placed on home instruction, school records show.
Records also show he left the school in February 2007 and moved to Jordan, but school officials said they received a request in October 2007 from the Islamic Center of East Orange requesting his transcripts. It is believed that he enrolled there. Calls to the Islamic Center were not returned.
