NOTE The following text is a quote:
http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel10/somaliaterrorist_080510.htm
Fourteen Charged with Providing Material Support to Somalia-Based Terrorist Organization al Shabaab
Two Arrested in Minnesota in Connection with the Charges
WASHINGTON—The Justice Department announced that four separate indictments were unsealed today in the District of Minnesota, the Southern District of Alabama, and the Southern District of California charging 14 individuals with terrorism violations for providing money, personnel, and services to the foreign terrorist organization al Shabaab.
In the Southern District of Alabama, prosecutors unsealed a superseding indictment charging Omar Shafik Hammami, a U.S. citizen and former resident of Alabama, with providing material support to al Shabaab. Separately, prosecutors in the Southern District of California unsealed an indictment charging Jehad Serwan Mostafa, a U.S. citizen and former resident of California, with providing material support to al Shabaab. In the District of Minnesota, prosecutors unsealed two indictments. One indictment charges Amina Farah Ali and Hawo Mohamed Hassan with providing funds to al Shabaab. These two defendants, who are naturalized U.S. citizens and residents of Minnesota, were arrested today. Separately, prosecutors unsealed a third superseding indictment charging 10 men with terrorism offenses for leaving the United States to join al Shabaab. Seven of these defendants had been previously charged by either indictment or criminal complaint. The remaining three defendants had not been charged before.
The arrests and charges were announced by Attorney General Eric Holder and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III, as well as David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; B. Todd Jones, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota; Kenyen R. Brown, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Alabama; and Laura E. Duffy, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California.
“The indictments unsealed today shed further light on a deadly pipeline that has routed funding and fighters to the al Shabaab terror organization from cities across the United States,” said Attorney General Holder. “While our investigations are ongoing around the country, these arrests and charges should serve as an unmistakable warning to others considering joining terrorist groups like al Shabaab—if you choose this route you can expect to find yourself in a U.S. jail cell or a casualty on the battlefield in Somalia.”
“For those who would become terrorists, these cases send a strong message,” said FBI Director Mueller. “They underscore the need for continued vigilance against those who may seek to harm us and our way of life. Our agents and analysts will continue to confront this threat with a strong and coordinated effort as we work to protect all Americans.”
Omar Hammami – Southern District of Alabama
Today in the Southern District of Alabama, prosecutors unsealed a September 2009 superseding indictment against Omar Hammami, 26, a U.S. citizen and former resident of Daphne, Alabama, also known as “Abu Mansour al-Amriki,” or “Farouk.”
The three-count indictment alleges that Hammami provided material support, including himself as personnel, to terrorists; conspired to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, al Shabaab, and provided material support to al Shabaab. Hammami faces a potential 15 years in prison for each of the three counts of the indictment. He is not in custody and is currently believed to be in Somalia.
Jehad Mostafa – Southern District of California
In the Southern District of California, prosecutors today unsealed an October 2009 indictment against Jehad Serwan Mostafa, 28, aka “Ahmed,” “Emir Anwar,” “Awar,” a U.S. citizen and former resident of San Diego, California.
The indictment alleges that Mostafa conspired to provide material support, including himself as personnel, to terrorists; conspired to provide material support to al Shabaab; and provided material support to al Shabaab. Mostafa faces a potential 15 years in prison for each of the three counts of the indictment. He is not in custody and is currently believed to be in Somalia.
Amina Ali and Hawo Hassan – District of Minnesota
Earlier today, FBI agents arrested Amina Farah Ali, 33, and Hawo Mohamed Hassan, 63, both naturalized U.S. citizens from Somalia and residents of Rochester, Minn. Each is charged in an indictment unsealed today with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to al Shabaab from Sept. 17, 2008 through July 19, 2010. Ali is also charged in the indictment with 12 substantive counts of providing material support to al Shabaab. Hassan is also charged with three counts of making false statements.
The indictment alleges that, as part of the conspiracy, Ali communicated by telephone with people in Somalia who requested financial assistance for al Shabaab. Ali, Hassan, and others allegedly raised money for these individuals by soliciting funds door-to-door in Somali communities in Minneapolis, Rochester, and other locations in the United States and Canada. In addition, the defendants allegedly raised money by direct appeal to individuals participating in teleconferences that featured speakers who encouraged donations to support al Shabaab. Ali also allegedly raised funds under the false pretense that such funds were for the poor and needy.
The indictment alleges that Ali and others transferred funds to al Shabaab through the hawala money remittance system. Ali and others allegedly used false names to identify the recipients of the funds to conceal that the funds were being provided to al Shabaab. The indictment lists 12 money transfers allegedly directed to al Shabaab by Ali.
The indictment alleges several overt acts to carry out the fund-raising conspiracy. For example, on Oct. 26, 2008, Ali allegedly hosted a teleconference in which an unindicted co-conspirator told listeners that it was not the time to help the poor and needy in Somalia; rather the priority was to give to the mujahidin. Ali and Hassan allegedly recorded $2,100 in pledges at the conclusion of the teleconference. On Feb. 10, 2009, Ali allegedly conducted another fundraising teleconference in which she told listeners to “forget about the other charities” and focus on “the jihad.”
On July 14, 2009, the day after the FBI executed a search warrant at her home, Ali allegedly contacted an unindicted co-conspirator and said, “I was questioned by the enemy here...they took all my stuff and are investigating it...do not accept calls from anyone.” The indictment further alleges that when Hassan was questioned by agents in an investigation involving international terrorism, she made false statements.
The defendants are expected to make their initial appearances later today in federal court in Minneapolis. If convicted, they face a potential 15 years in prison on the conspiracy count. Ali also faces a potential 15 years in prison on each material support count, and Hassan also faces a potential eight years in prison on each false statement count.
Third Superseding Indictment – District of Minnesota
In addition to the two arrests, prosecutors in the District of Minnesota also unsealed a July 2010 third superseding indictment that charges Abdikadir Ali Abdi, 19, a U.S. citizen; Abdisalan Hussein Ali, 21, a U.S. citizen; Cabdulaahi Ahmed Faarax, 33, a U.S. citizen; Farah Mohamed Beledi, 26; and Abdiweli Yassin Isse, 26. These defendants are charged with, among other things, conspiring to and providing material support to al Shabaab and conspiring to kill, maim, and injure persons abroad. Faarax and Isse had been charged in a criminal complaint previously.
Five other defendants who had been previously charged by indictment are named in the third superseding indictment. They are Ahmed Ali Omar, 27; Khalid Mohamud Abshir, 27; Zakaria Maruf, 31; Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan, 22; and Mustafa Ali Salat, 20. These defendants are charged with conspiracies to provide material support to terrorists and foreign terrorist organizations; conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, and injure persons abroad; possessing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence; and solicitation to commit a crime of violence.
The unsealed indictment alleges that the 10 defendants provided financial support and personnel, including themselves as fighters, both to a conspiracy to kill abroad and to the foreign terrorist organization al Shabaab. Specifically, the indictment alleges that the five newly-added defendants traveled to Somalia in 2008 and 2009. In addition, the charges allege that Faarax solicited Salah Osman Ahmed, Shirwa Ahmed (now deceased), and Kamal Said Hassan to provide support to al Shabaab, and that Faraax made false statements to the FBI in a matter involving international terrorism. The indictment also alleges that, in October 2009, Beledi committed passport fraud.
An affidavit previously filed in the case alleges that, in the fall of 2007, Faarax and others met at a Minneapolis mosque to telephone co-conspirators in Somalia to discuss the need for Minnesota-based co-conspirators to go to Somalia to fight. The affidavit also alleges that Faarax attended a subsequent meeting in Minneapolis where he encouraged others to fight in Somalia and told them how he had experienced true brotherhood while fighting jihad in Somalia. Faarax was later interviewed three times by authorities and each time denied knowing anyone who had fought in Somalia or encouraging anyone to fight in Somalia.
The affidavit also alleges that Abdiweli Yassin Isse encouraged others to travel to Somalia to fight. At a gathering of co-conspirators, Isse purportedly described his plans to wage “jihad” against Ethiopians in Somalia, and later raised money to purchase airline tickets for others to travel to Somalia for the same purpose. In raising this money, he allegedly misled community members into thinking they were contributing money to send young men to Saudi Arabia to study the Koran. The 10 defendants charged in the third superseding indictment are not in custody and are believed to be overseas.
The charges against all the defendants in Minnesota stem from an ongoing, two-year investigation into the recruitment of persons from the United States to train with or fight for al Shabaab. To date, a total of 19 persons have been charged in the District of Minnesota in indictments or criminal complaints that have been unsealed. Nine of these Minnesota defendants have been arrested in the United States or overseas, five of whom pleaded guilty. The remaining defendants are at large and believed to be abroad.
The case in the Southern District of Alabama is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force in Mobile, Ala., and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama, and Trial Attorney Sharon Lever of the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
The case in the Southern District of California is being investigated by the FBI’s San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William P. Cole and Shane P. Harrigan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Sharon Lever of the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division
The cases in the District of Minnesota are being investigated by the FBI’s Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force, with the assistance of the Dutch KLPD; the Dutch Ministry of Justice; the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; the State Department, including U.S. Embassies in the United Arab Emirates and Yemen; the Hague in the Netherlands; and the Department of Defense. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys W. Anders Folk and Jeffrey S. Paulsen, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, and Trial Attorneys William M. Narus and Steven Ward of the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains mere allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.
- View wanted poster of indicted individuals
Note: Any formatting errors in post no. 1 are mine.
NOTE The following text is a quote:
http://www.justice.gov/ag/speeches/2010/ag-speech-100805.html
Attorney General Eric Holder Holds a Press Conference Regarding Al-Shabaab Indictments
Washington, D.C. ~ Thursday, August 5, 2010
Good morning.
Today, the Department unsealed four separate indictments charging 14 individuals with terrorism violations for providing money, personnel, and services to al-Shabaab – a terrorist group operating in Somalia with ties to al-Qaeda. Two of these individuals have been arrested.
These indictments and arrests – in Minnesota, Alabama, and California – shed further light on a deadly pipeline that has routed funding and fighters to al-Shabaab from cities across the United States.
An indictment was unsealed in Minnesota charging 10 men with terrorism offenses for leaving the United States to join al-Shabaab as foreign fighters. Seven of these defendants had been previously charged by either indictment or criminal complaint. The remaining three defendants had not been charged before.
In the District of Minnesota alone, a total of 19 defendants have been charged in connection with this investigation. Nine of these defendants have been arrested in the United States or overseas, five of whom pleaded guilty. Ten of the charged defendants are not in custody and are believed to be overseas.
Additionally, two U.S. citizens and former residents of Alabama and California – Omar Shafik Hammami and Jehad Serwan Mostafa have been charged in separate cases with providing material support to al-Shabaab. Both are believed to be in Somalia and fighting on behalf of al-Shabaab.
According to public reports, Hammami has appeared in several propaganda videos on behalf of al-Shabaab that have been distributed worldwide and he is believed to be a ranking member of the al-Shabaab organization with operational responsibilities.
Finally, Amina Farah Ali and Hawo Mohamed Hassan – both naturalized U.S. citizens and residents of Minnesota – were arrested by FBI agents earlier today. They have been charged with providing material support to terrorists, among other offenses.
The indictment alleges that these two women raised money to support al-Shabaab through door-to-door solicitations and teleconferences in Somali communities in Minneapolis, Rochester, and other locations in the United States and Canada. In some cases, these funds were raised under the false pretense that they would be used to aid the poor and the needy.
While our investigations are ongoing around the country, these arrests and charges should serve as an unmistakable warning to others considering joining or supporting terrorist groups like al-Shabaab: if you choose this route you can expect to find yourself in a U.S. jail cell or a casualty on the battlefield in Somalia.
As demonstrated by the charges unsealed today, we are seeing an increasing number of individuals – including U.S. citizens – who have become captivated by extremist ideology and have taken steps to carry out terrorist objectives, either at home or abroad.
It’s a disturbing trend that we have been intensely investigating in recent years and will continue to investigate and root out. But we must also work to prevent this type of radicalization from ever taking hold.
Members of the American Muslim community have been – and continue to be – strong partners in fighting this emerging threat. They have regularly denounced terrorist acts and those who carry them out. And they have provided critical assistance to law enforcement in helping to disrupt terrorist plots and combat radicalization.
These individuals have consistently – and correctly – expressed deep concern about the recruitment of their youth by terrorist groups. Many members of the community have taken proactive steps to stop the recruitment of their youth by terrorist groups. Just recently, a group of prominent American Muslims joined together in a video to repudiate the tactics employed by radicalized militants to recruit young Muslims via the Internet.
There needs to be more recognition of these efforts and of the losses suffered in the Muslim community here and around the world. Many of the victims of terror attacks by al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other terrorist groups are innocent Muslims.
I want to applaud the tremendous work of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Minneapolis, San Diego and Mobile, Alabama, for their work on these cases. I also want to thank the Dutch KLPD; the Dutch Ministry of Justice, the Justice Department’s own Office of International Affairs, the State Department, including U.S. Embassies in the United Arab Emirates and Yemen; the Hague in the Netherlands; and the Department of Defense for their assistance in the Minneapolis cases, in particular.
These indictments and arrests would not have been possible without the critical contributions from the National Security Division led by Assistant Attorney General David Kris and the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Minnesota, the Southern District of Alabama and the Southern District of California – all of whom are represented here on stage with me today.
Now, I’d like to turn it over to the FBI’s Executive Assistant Director for the National Security Branch – Sean Joyce.
These people need to run into El Kabong.
SNIPPET from post no. 1: “Recent al Shabaab Cases”
#
July 21, 2010
Quote:
http://washingtondc.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/wfo072110.htm
Virginia Man Accused of Providing Material Support to Terrorists
ALEXANDRIA, VA—Zachary Adam Chesser, 20, of Fairfax County, Va., was arrested today on charges that he provided material support to al Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Neil H. MacBride, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Shawn Henry, Assistant Director in Charge (ADIC) of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after Chesser was arrested and the charging documents were made public.
“This case exposes the disturbing reality that extreme radicalization can happen anywhere, including Northern Virginia,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “This young man is accused of seeking to join al Shabaab, a brutal terrorist organization with ties to al Qaeda. These allegations underscore the need for continued vigilance against homegrown terror threats.”
“We can’t fight terrorists alone,” said FBI ADIC Henry. “Religious leaders of all faiths, family members and particularly the younger members of our communities need to speak up and speak out against individuals who participate in actions like those alleged here.”
On Feb. 29, 2008, the U.S. Department of State designated al Shabaab as a foreign terrorist organization, describing it as a violent and brutal extremist group based in Somalia with a number of individuals affiliated with al Qaeda. This designation prohibits providing material support or resources to al Shabaab.
According to an affidavit filed in court, Chesser, aka Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee, volunteered to federal agents that he attempted on two occasions to travel to Somalia to join al Shabaab as a foreign fighter. After he was prevented from boarding a flight from New York to Uganda on July 10, 2010, Chesser allegedly admitted to agents that he intended to travel from Uganda to Somalia. Chesser had attempted to board the plane with his infant son, and court records allege that he brought his son with him as part of his “cover” to avoid detection of his intention to join al Shabaab in Somalia.
The court affidavit indicates that in a series of interviews with federal law enforcement, Chesser allegedly discussed in detail how he has maintained several online profiles dedicated to extremist jihad propaganda. These profiles were allegedly used by Chesser to post pro-jihad messages and videos online. These postings allegedly included an article detailing the prerequisites involved in leaving for jihad, which closely follows the steps Chesser took before his July 10 attempt to leave the United States in order to go fight in Somalia.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon Kromberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney John T. Gibbs of the Counterterrorism Section in the Justice Department’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Criminal complaints are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
A warm fuzzy moment: “If you see something, say something.”
Smiling.
Ok.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
NOTE The following text is a quote:
http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=60334
U.S. Indicts 14 for Support of al-Qaida Affiliate
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2010 – The Justice Department announced charges today against 14 people in three U.S. states with ties to an al-Qaida affiliate in Somalia, just as a new State Department report highlighted concerns about al-Qaida’s inroads across Africa.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the department unsealed four separate indictments charging people in Minnesota, Alabama and California with providing money, personnel and services to al-Shabaab, a terrorist group operating in Somalia with ties to al-Qaida.
Among them were Amina Farah Ali and Hawo Mohamed Hassan, arrested today in Minnesota for providing funds to al-Shabaab, Holder said during a news conference. Most of the other defendants already are in custody, he reported.
“These indictments and arrests … shed further light on a deadly pipeline that has routed funding and fighters to al-Shabaab from cities across the United States,” Holder said during a news conference.
“As demonstrated by the charges unsealed today, we are seeing an increasing number of individuals, including U.S. citizens, who have become captivated by extremist ideology and have taken steps to carry out terrorist objectives, either at home or abroad,” Holder said. “It’s a disturbing trend that we have been intensely investigating.”
As those investigations continue, Holder said, today’s events provide “an unmistakable warning” to anyone considering joining or supporting terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab.
“If you choose this route, you can expect to find yourself in a U.S. jail or a casualty on the battlefield in Somalia,” he said.
Today’s announcement came as the State Department released a report to Congress highlighting concerns about al-Qaida’s growing foothold in Africa.
Al-Shabaab’s leadership supports al-Qaida, the report concluded, with both groups presenting “a serious terrorist threat to America and allied interests throughout the Horn of Africa.”
Ongoing fighting between al-Shabaab, the Somalia Islamic insurgent group Hizbul Islam, and other factions and militias and Somalia’s transitional federal government have left Somalia “highly unstable,” the report said. As a result, Somalia provides “a permissive environment for terrorist transit and training,” it said.
Related Sites:
State Department Report
Justice Department News Release
Holder’s Remarks
More about al Shabaab from The Long War Journal http://www.longwarjournal.org/cgi-bin/mt-search.cgi?tag=Shabaab&blog_id=1
The names of some of the foreign al Qaeda leaders include:
Fazul Abdullah Mohammed - Fazul, a Kenyan, was appointed by Osama bin Laden as al Qaeda's leader in East Africa in late 2009. Before the death of Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, Fazul served as the military operations chief for al Qaeda in East Africa. Fazul is an experienced al Qaeda leader who is known to be able to move in and out of East African countries with ease. In August 2008, he slipped a police dragnet in Kenya. Fazul has been sheltering in Somalia with Shabaab and the Islamic Courts for years. Fazul is considered to be Shabaab's military leader, while Sheikh Muktar Abdelrahman Abu Zubeyr is Shabaab's spiritual leader.
Shaykh Muhammad Abu Fa'id - Fai'd, a Saudi citizen, serves as a top financier financier and a "manager" for Shabaab.
Abu Sulayman Al Banadiri - Banadiri is a Somali of Yemeni descent. He serves as a top adviser to Zubeyr, and trained in an al Qaeda camp in Afghanistan.
Abu Musa Mombasa - Mombasa, a Pakistani citizen, serves as Shabaab's chief of security and training.
Abu Mansour al Amriki - Amriki, whose real name is Omar Hammami, is a US citizen who converted to Islam and traveled to Somalia in 2006. Once in Somalia, he quickly rose through the ranks, and now serves as a military commander, recruiter, financier, and propagandist. Amriki appears in several Shabaab propaganda tapes.
Mahmud Mujajir - Mujajir, a Sudanese citizen, is Shabaab's chief of recruitment for suicide bombers.
Abdifatah Aweys Abu Hamza - Hamza is a Somali national who trained in Afghanistan. He is the commander of the Mujahideen of Al Quds, or Shabaab's Jerusalem Brigade, a military formation.
http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2010/08/al_qaeda_leaders_pla.php#ixzz0vorkPZkI
“Minn. Trial Accuses U.S.Citizens of “Deadly Pipeline” to Al-Shabaab”
Ellen Cannon, Chicago Homeland Security Examiner
October 2, 2011
SNIPPET: “Amina Farah Ali’s trial will start on October 3, 2011 in Minneapolis. Ali, a 35 year old U.S. citizen of Somali descent accused of funneling money to Al-Shabaab, a terrorist group in Somalia. Ms. Ali and her co-defendant, 64 year old Hawo Hassan, are accused of collecting money for Al Shabaab and telling potential donors to ignore charities and focus on the “the jihad by helping to finance local Somali men’s travel to Somalia to fight”.
Ms. Ali and Ms. Hassen were indicted on June 21, 2011.”
SNIPPET: “The indictment alleges that as part of a larger conspiracy, Ms. Ali communicated by phone with people in Somalia who requested financial assistance for the terror group Al –Shabaab.
According to the Justice Department, Ms. Ali allegedly “raised money for these individuals by soliciting funds door to door in Somali communities in Minneapolis, Rochester, Minnesota, and other locations in the U.S. and Canada”. In addition, Ms. Ali is accused of raising money by direct appeals to individuals participating in teleconferences that featured speakers who encourage donations to support Al-Shabaab. Ali allegedly raised funds under false pretenses that such funds were for the poor and the needy. (Department of Justice, 8/5/10)”
NOTE The following text is a quote:
www.fbi.gov/sandiego/press-releases/2011/san-diego-woman-pleads-guilty-to-conspiracy-to-provide-material-support-to-al-shabaab
San Diego Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to al Shabaab
U.S. Attorney’s Office
December 01, 2011
Southern District of California
SAN DIEGO—Nima Yusuf, 25, a resident of San Diego, pleaded guilty today in federal court in San Diego to conspiring to provide material support to al Shabaab, a foreign terrorist organization, U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy announced. Yusuf entered her plea before Magistrate Judge Ruben B. Brooks, and the plea is subject to final acceptance by U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz at or before sentencing.
As part of her plea, Yusuf admitted that she entered into an agreement with Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan, Abdisalan Hussein Ali, Cabdulaahi Ahmed Faarax, and Abdiweili Yassin Isse to provide material support to al Shabaab in the form of money and personnel to work under the direction and control of al Shabaab. Yusuf admitted that she entered this agreement despite knowing that the United States had designated al Shabaab as a foreign terrorist organization and that it was illegal to provide money or other material support to al Shabaab.
Hassan, Ali, Faarax and Isse are charged separately in a federal grand jury indictment in Minnesota for conspiring to provide material support to al Shabaab, among other offenses. The Minnesota indictment also charges Faarax with solicitation to commit a crime of violence, based on his alleged recruitment of three other men to travel to Somalia to fight for al Shabaab, one of whom is believed to have carried out a suicide bombing on al Shabaab’s behalf in or about October 2008.
As part of her guilty plea, Yusuf admitted that she knew Hassan, Ali, Faarax and Isse had left the United States to join and fight for al Shabaab in Somalia. She admitted that, between approximately February 2010 and November 2010, she sent approximately $1,450 to these men, who were then fighting in Somalia for al Shabaab. She also admitted that, when she was twice interviewed by agents from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security concerning her activities, she falsely denied sending any money to Somalia.
Al Shabaab is a terrorist organization based in Somalia, with objectives including the overthrow of the Transitional Federal Government, the elimination of African Union support for the TFG and the imposition of Shari’a law in Somalia. Al Shabaab has engaged in and used violence, intimidation and acts of terrorism, including suicide bombings, in Somalia and elsewhere to further its objectives.
Yusuf is next scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on Feb. 10, 2012, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz in San Diego. She remains held without bail pending sentencing. She faces a potential maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This investigation was conducted by the San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBI.
NOTE The following text is a quote:
www.fbi.gov/minneapolis/press-releases/2012/ohio-man-pleads-guilty-to-conspiracy-to-provide-material-support-to-somali-based-terror-group
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to Somali-Based Terror Group
U.S. Attorney’s Office
February 06, 2012
District of Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, a 27-year-old man from Westerville, Ohio pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide money and personnel to al Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization based in Somalia. Ahmed Hussein Mahamud, formerly of Eden Prairie, Minn., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Mahamud, who was indicted on June 7, 2011, entered his plea before U.S. District Court Chief Judge Michael J. Davis.
In his plea agreement, Mahamud admitted that from 2008 through February 2011, he conspired with others to provide money and people to al Shabaab, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization, in its fight against the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) and the Ethiopian military, which supports the TFG.
The defendant also admitted that he and his co-conspirators raised money from the Somali-American community in Minnesota under false pretenses to pay for men in Minnesota to travel to Somalia to join al Shabaab. Specifically, the defendant and his co-conspirators claimed the money raised would be used for a local mosque or to help orphans in Somalia. In fact, the money collected was used to purchase airline tickets and to pay other expenses so men could travel from Minnesota to Somalia to join al Shabaab.
Further, Mahamud admittedly sent money via wire transfers to a co-conspirator in Somalia, knowing the money would be used to purchase weapons or otherwise support al Shabaab.
Court documents indicate that since September 2007, approximately 20 young men have left the Minneapolis area for Somalia, where they have trained with al Shabaab. The charges against Mahamud stem from an ongoing, three-year investigation into that activity. To date, 18 people have been charged in the District of Minnesota in unsealed indictments or criminal complaints. Eight of those individuals have been arrested in the United States or overseas; of these eight, seven have pleaded guilty to related charges. Of the remaining 10 defendants, eight are at large and believed to be abroad, while two others are believed to have died in Somalia.
The charge levied against Mahamud carries a potential maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. A federal judge will determine the actual sentence at a hearing not yet scheduled.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Minneapolis Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), with assistance from the FBI’s JTTF in Columbus, Ohio. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles J. Kovats, Jr. and John Docherty and Trial Attorney William M. Narus of the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.