Eight Charged for Somali Terror Recruiting

(CBS/AP)  Federal prosecutors have announced charges against eight more people as part of a long-running investigation of young men who left the United States to fight in Somalia.

As many as 20 young Somali men have left Minnesota over the last two years for Somalia and are believed to have joined the Somali terror group al-Shabab. At least three have died.

The charges unsealed Monday in Minneapolis include allegations that the men provided financial support to those who traveled to the East African country to fight on behalf of al-Shabab. The charges also allege that they attended al-Shabab terrorist training camps and fought on behalf of al-Shabab.

One of the eight named Monday is Mohamud Said Omar, who is currently being held in the Netherlands.

During a visit to the United States last month, the president of Somalia denounced the recruiting and said he plans to work with the U.S. government to bring those still alive back home.

President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed spoke with The Associated Press while visiting the Minneapolis area, where many of the men lived before returning to their impoverished nation over the last two years.

At least three have died in Somalia, including one who authorities believe was the first American suicide bomber. Three others have pleaded guilty in the U.S. to terror-related charges.

"We believe this is a wrong action, that these young men were wronged, they were robbed out of their life. Their parents were wronged," Ahmed told the AP through an interpreter. "The laws of the United States were violated. The security of Somalia was violated. So we condemn (them) without reservation."

Ahmed was in the Minneapolis area - home of the largest Somali population in the U.S. - to build support as his government tries to bring peace to the Horn of Africa country that has been plagued by violence for decades. The nation of 7 million people has not had a functioning government since 1991, when clan-based warlords overthrew a dictator and then turned on each other.

[wheatfield2]

OMG, this just sickens me. Not only more immigrants that we support, but carrying with them a cult extremism to spread in our already failing country.

I am horrified with the sympathizing of illegals, as well (among other things). It's as if our government is slamming the door on the backbone of working citizens with a cheshire grin and a wink.

What is amazing, is cbs had an article recently about "1 in 7 Americans went hungry in 2008". We have so many immigrants allowed in here with their hands out, we can't keep up with it. Now we have more Americans NOT working and paying taxes than we have WORKING to pay for them! And in the end of the article it states...

""U.N. officials say roughly 1 billion people ? one of every six people on the planet ? don't get enough to eat.""

Can you imagine this? That America does not have a much better average than the WORLD? We are not taking care of our own, obviously..meaning the working poor. Those on the dole get their food stamps and regular paychecks, though.

[6591Hou]

President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed.....

Somalia has a President? Does he know he has a pirate issue going on? Instead of dealing with that he's over here worrying about 20 misguided young men?

[emm305]

No, I live in South Carolina. The Lutheran Church brought the Somalis to Minnesota, South Carolina and who knows where else within the last 10 years.
Rather than buy some land in Africa to relocate these people where they would not be totally ripped from their culture, the Lutherans decided to bring them here, find public housing, set up their foodstamps and feel good about the good work they were doing.
There was a big stink when the Lutherans brought them to SC and they could not be settled in the area originally proposed due to incredible opposition.
I started hearing about the Somali American terrorists back in the summer from NPR, which has done a much better job of covering this than CBS. But, at least it's being covered.
Not a peep from The State newspaper in Columbia, SC which pushed and pushed for the Lutherans and Somalis on this idiotic relocation.
It was a really bad idea and the people who brought them here should be accountable in Congressional hearings.

[GTR5]

The US State Department brought in tens of thousands of Somalis to our country with US taxpayer money. They paid for their transportation, food, housing, everything courtesy of the US taxpayer. These Somalis are radical Muslims, have a history of female circumcision and are violent pirates. The Somalis here are the same as the Somalis in Somalia and are a threat to our security thanks to the US State Dept.

[billpl-2009]

"said he plans to work with the U.S. government to bring those still alive back home."


heck no!!...leave them there

we got no use for them here?