A federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging two Minnesota men directed and financed violence in their home country thousands of miles away.

The two men in their 50s, who are naturalized U.S. citizens from the Republic of Cameroon in central Africa, are charged with one count each of conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim and injury persons abroad, conspiracy to provide material support or resources and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

One of the men is also charged with three counts of providing material support or resources, conspiracy to commit hostage taking and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction outside the United States.

The indictment says the men are leaders of the Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF), a group of armed fighters seeking to create a new country in the English-speaking northwestern and southwestern regions of Cameroon.

The men allegedly began to direct and finance attacks and kidnappings in Cameroon in 2017, sending thousands of dollars to fighters to purchase weapons and ammunition. 

The U.S. Attorney's Office says fighters were told to "kidnap, bomb and kill ordinary civilians, government officials and members of the Cameroonian security forces" to coerce the government into recognizing the ADF's legitimacy.

The ADF carried out its first attack on Sept. 9, 2017, killing three Cameroonian soldiers and officially marking the start of the ongoing conflict between the government and Ambazonian separatist groups in what is called the "Anglophone Crisis".

The indictment claims the men began to raise money to purchase weapons for the ADF through social media in 2021. They launched another fundraiser the following year, intending to arm fighters with AK-47 assault rifles. Members were often encouraged to send funds to fighters in support of specific planned attacks.

The two men were arrested Friday morning and are both due in court separately on Wednesday and Thursday. If convicted, they could be sentenced to life in prison.

"Although these violent acts occurred outside of U.S. borders, these charges should underscore that criminal actors cannot hide in the United States," Donald Holstead, the assistant director of the FBI's counterterrorism division, said. "The FBI does not condone violence and will work with our partners to ensure those who engage in, or direct criminal acts are held accountable for their actions."

In its 2024 report, Human Rights Watch states that at least 6,000 civilians have been killed in Cameroon since the conflict began eight years ago.