Somali man guilty of aiding terror group

Published On: Friday, October, 19 2012 - 17:37:11 This post has been viewed 474 times

A U.S federal jury in Minneapolis on Thursday convicted a Somali man of recruiting young men for a terrorist group fighting to establish a harsh Islamist government in their homeland.

Reports say Mohamed Said Omar, 46, was found guilty of five terrorism-related charges for aiding Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate but a date was not set for his sentencing. Omar faces up to life in prison when sentenced.

Omar was indicted in August 2009 and arrested three months later in the Netherlands and is said to be the first of 18 men to stand trial for recruiting more than 20 Somali men in Minnesota to fight in Somalia. Seven others have pleaded guilty, and the others are presumed to be out of the country.

Of the young men who went to Somalia to wage jihad between September 2007 and October 2009, at least six have been confirmed killed. U.S. law enforcement and family members believe the others are also dead.

Omar was granted permanent U.S. resident status in 1994. Minnesota is home to an estimated 32,000 ethnic Somalis.

Source: Agencies

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