Free Republic

The president of two San Diego-based Somalian organizations pleaded not guilty yesterday to lying about taking money from a group linked to terrorists. Community leaders and his family said they were mystified by the charges. Omar Abdi Mohammed, 41, a teacher's assistant in a San Diego elementary school, was described by prosecutors in federal court as a shadowy figure who collected more than $351,000 from a group accused of financing international terrorism. Prosecutors have refused to say what they believe Mohammed did with the money, but they said in court that, in addition to the $351,000, he also received $1,700...

AN accused terrorism financier arrested in the US last week had just returned from a trip to Australia where he is believed to have a child. But in a security blunder, the arrest took Australia's intelligence agencies, who were unaware the man was in Australia, by complete surprise. Omar Abdi Mohamed, 41, is being investigated after allegedly receiving $454,866 from a group accused by US authorities of direct links to al-Qaida. But Australian authorities were not told of any terrorist concerns surrounding Mr Mohamed before his most recent trip to Australia, which ended only last month. "Obviously this person would...