Over the past several days a handful of blogs and other Twin Cities media have been reporting that sources tell them young men in the Twin Cities Somali community are allegedly leaving Minnesota to fight with terrorist cells in Somalia.
The FBI would not confirm an official investigation on this issue Wednesday but would say they were "aware" of the situation.
Sources are telling other news organizations that federal authorities are investigating the case that young Somali men are disappearing from our area and showing up fighting alongside terrorists in Somalia.
"We are also aware a number of individuals have traveled from throughout the United States to include Minneapolis to fight in Somalia but we are not able to confirm an FBI investigation at this time," FBI spokesman E. K. Wilson told KARE 11 Wednesday.
Local Somali community leaders say they are shocked to hear about this and know nothing about it.
Hashi Shafi runs the Somali Action Alliance in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis.
"I don't know the root cause, what would cause a young man to leave the Twin Cities and go back for something negative. It is something that is unacceptable," Shafi said.
Shafi went on to say he would be shocked to learn anyone has left to fight in the nearly 20-year-old war in Somalia.
He says his community will work with the FBI to address this issue and, if needed, reach out to the younger men of the Somali community and educate them about not going back to Somalia and investing in this country and this community.
(Copyright 2008 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)
