Authorities In Minnesota Charge Eight Americans In Somalia Terrorism Recruitment

November 24, 2009 8:45 a.m. EST

Minneapolis, MN (AHN) - Eight Americans are facing terrorism recruitment charges. U.S. Authorities say the group recruited young people to fight for an Islamist group in Somalia that is linked to Al Qaeda.

According to the U.S. Attorney's office and FBI in Minnesota, the unsealed charges are the result of an ongoing investigation. The charges said Somali-American men were promised "true brotherhood" and "fun." Recruiters focused their efforts at Minneapolis mosques to fight for al-Shabaab, a terrorist organization closely linked to Al Qaeda's proxy.

DHS and FBI officials began to intensify their investigation into the initial probe when it was learned that one of the recruits blew himself up in a suicide bombing attack. Reportedly, Shirwa Ahmed, a naturalized U.S. Citizen from Somalia is believed to be the first U.S. citizen to carry out a terrorist suicide bombing. Officials say he became radicalized in his hometown of Minnesota. Indictments say some of the recruits attended terrorist training camps. According to a federal affidavit the camps were training grounds for the instruction of firing small arms and machine guns, and the indoctrination in "anti-Ethiopian, anti-American, anti-Israel and anti-Western beliefs." according to a federal affidavit.

What has officials worried is that the case shows how young men raised in the U.S. can be recruited by terrorists overseas.

It remains unclear if he the men recruited had any intentions of committing terrorist attacks in the United States, however if that is or isn't the case - the implications of what their training combined with American status could be disastrously incendiary for American interests.

Minnesota has the largest population of Somali immigrants of any state in the country.