Minn. lawmaker: No funds to 'pirate and terrorists.” lovers'.. good idia..Someone Is Finally Listening Us..We've been advocating for Long Time

St. Paul, Minn. — (AP) - A Minnesota lawmaker said he wants to ensure that no taxpayer dollars or state grants go to groups supporting pirates, after a Twin Cities-based Somali advocate said he helped get an attorney for the Somali teen facing piracy and hostage-taking charges.

House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, said his upcoming amendment to the public safety finance bill would deny non-profit status and prohibit grants to groups helping non-citizens accused of piracy or terrorism."Taxpayers shouldn't be supporting those who support and defend people who attack Americans," Seifert said in a statement with the headline: "Seifert: No taxpayer support for pirate lovers and terrorists."Omar Jamal, director of the nonprofit Somali Justice Advocacy Center, said the parents of Abdiwali Abdiqadir Muse asked Jamal for help.Jamal said Wednesday he's not weighing in on the guilt or innocence of the teen, but his role is to help the family understand the legal system."We act as an intermediary between the system and the community," Jamal said. "In this case we are trying to help the family understand what's going on here."He noted that because of the circumstances back in Somalia, the family thinks Muse could be executed by a firing squad.Muse, 18, is the only accused pirate to survive the recent hostage-taking of Richard Phillips, the captain of the Maersk Alabama ship..more..http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/04/22/somali_money/