East Africa Forum » Minneapolis Somalis meet with FBI, denounce al-Shabab
I saw something on national news tonight about four Somali-Americans arrested in, I think I recall, California, charged with terrorist ties, providing support to a group called al-Shabab.
I started looking around for information, and I’ve come across this information about the Somali community in Minnesota.
The Somali community at large seems not to be particularly fond of this al-Shabab group, and doesn’t seem particularly happy with its US recruiting efforts, and is trying to work with the FBI on the recruiting and gang problems.
MINNEAPOLIS — A group of elders in the Minneapolis Somali community on Wednesday publicly denounced al-Shabab, making it clear that they do not support the terror group they say is responsible for “sinister” acts of recruiting young Americans to fight in Somalia.
The elders made the statement shortly before a closed-door meeting with a representative from the local office of the FBI. The goal of the meeting was to keep an open dialogue with law enforcement — to allow elders to ask questions and air concerns, and give the FBI a chance to educate the group.
Abdirizak Bihi, a community activist who helped get the group together, said the elders are highly respected in the Somali community. To have them come out against al-Shabab is a big step, he said, “because if the elders validate our points of contention, it will be a very important issue for the community to get involved completely.”
Supervisory Special Agent E.K. Wilson said during a dinner break that he listened to the elders’ concerns about al-Shabab, gangs and other issues affecting Somali youth, and explained that the FBI is there to protect their children.
“We’re really dependent on them to carry that message forward to the community at large. These guys are who the community looks up to, and respects, and will listen to,” Wilson said.
It was the first time some of the elders involved had met with the FBI, which has increased its outreach efforts in the community since roughly 20 young Somalis left Minneapolis in recent years to fight with al-Shabab, a violent group that seeks to establish an Islamic state in Somalia.