Minnesota Man Accused In Gambia Coup Attempt Denied Release
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man accused in a failed coup in the West African nation of Gambia has been denied release as his case is pending.
Papa Faal, 46, of Brooklyn Center, is accused of conspiring to violate the Neutrality Act.
Prosecutors accuse Faal, a U.S. citizen of Gambian descent, of buying rifles in Minnesota that were shipped to Gambia in an unsuccessful plot to overthrow President Yahya Jammeh.
Faal's attorney Andrew Mohring asked the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis on Thursday to free his client while the case is pending, citing his military service, community volunteerism and support from the community.
But Magistrate Judge Franklin Noel denied the request, calling Faal a flight risk with siblings in Europe and community support that could facilitate his escape.
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