Missing US-Somali youth to spark new terror charges

AFP Global Edition | 2009-11-23 21:10:19

<div><p>New terrorism charges were expected Monday in the case of dozens of Somali-Americans, who disappeared from their homes in Minnesota and are believed to have joined an Islamist militia in Somalia.</p><p>A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice confirmed that a host of documents related to the case would be unsealed at an afternoon press conference but declined to release any further information.</p><p>Officials are worried that recruiting efforts among the Somali-Americans living in the Minneapolis, Minnesota have created a "jihadi pipeline" funneling youth to the battlefields of Somalia, National Public Radio reported.</p><p>One agent told the radio network that the year-long investigation is one of the biggest domestic terrorism cases the Federal Bureau of Investigation has engaged in since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.</p><p>At least two dozen youths -- all of whom were doing well in school and being raised by single mothers -- have gone to Somalia to join the fighting in a bitter civil war since 2007, NPR reported.</p><p>Five of them have been killed there.</p><p>Citing people close to the investigation, NPR reported that people loosely linked to the Al-Qaeda inspired Islamist group al-Shabab "had taken it upon themselves to radicalize, recruit, and send young men from the Somali community in the Twin Cities to Somalia to fight for the group."</p><p>Six people have already faced terrorism charges related to the investigation in recent months and charges against eight more were set to be unsealed on Monday, NPR reported.</p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=64100685&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>


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