A Break in the Minnesota Terror Case

Definite good news after what happened to Hassan and other children who were exploited to die in Somalia:

Federal prosecutors in Minneapolis unsealed charges Monday against eight people as part of a widening inquiry into the recruitment of men to fight with a militant Islamist group in Somalia.The charges are part of an broad investigation of about 20 young men – most of them refugees from Somalia who settled near Minnesota’s Twin Cities – who are accused of returning to the unstable African country to fight with the Shabaab, a group affiliated with Al Qaeda.

The case attracted national attention after of the men, Shirwa Ahmed, became the first known American suicide bomber in 2008 when he blew himself up in Somalia, and at least two others have died in armed conflict.The indictments accuse some of the men of providing financial support for people traveling to Somalia to aid terrorism, and training and fighting with Shabaab. Since July, charges against 14 people have been unsealed, four of whom have pleaded guilty.

Among those charged is Mahamud Said Omar, a Somali citizen and permanent United States resident, who authorities contend “conspired with others to provide financial assistance as well as personnel to terrorists.” He is also accused of visiting a Shabaab safe house and donating hundreds of dollars to purchase AK-47 rifles for men from Minneapolis. The U.S. has requested his extradition from the Netherlands, where he is in custody.

Two brothers of Mr. Omar, who live in Minneapolis, told The Associated Press after his arrest earlier this month that he did not have extremist leanings or much religious conviction, and that he did not have enough money to send to terrorists.Seven other defendants have yet to be apprehended and are believed to be outside the country.

The Exploited

Burhan Hassan, in 2005, after having received a certificate from the Abubakar mosque in Minneapolis. When he went missing, he was a senior in high school. By all accounts, he was a good student and was supposed to graduate on time in May. His mother wanted him to go to medical school. He disappeared Nov. 4, calling his mother two days later to say he was in Somalia. Courtesy of Osman Ahmed

.