MINNEAPOLIS – A third man pleaded guilty Wednesday to terror-related charges stemming from a federal investigation into Americans traveling to Somalia to fight with Islamic militants.
Kamal Hassan acknowledged lying to FBI agents questioning him in February about the case and admitted spending time at a training camp run in Somalia by al-Shabab, a group designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist group linked to al-Qaida.Hassan told federal agents that he traveled to Yemen after spending time in the camp, but admitted Wednesday to a federal judge in Minneapolis that he had lied. He told U.S. District Judge James Rosenbaum he fought with al-Shabab in Somalia.Hassan also admitted concealing the identities of people he associated with in Minnesota and Somalia.Few other details about Hassan's case emerged in court, and his age and hometown weren't immediately available.As many as 20 young men have traveled to Somalia to join in fighting there. Family members in Minnesota, where the nation's largest population of Somali immigrants is concentrated in Minneapolis, say at least three have died.Two others also have pleaded guilty to terror-related charges. Salah Osman Ahmed, 26, of New Brighton, pleaded guilty in July to providing material support to terrorists. Ahmed acknowledged that he worked with al-Shabab in Somalia. Ahmed said he did menial labor at a training camp but acknowledged he also was trained to use guns.
Abdifatah Yusuf Isse, 25, of Seattle, pleaded guilty in April to one count of providing material support to terrorists. Isse also spent time in an al-Shabab camp in the lawless Horn of Africa country.Hassan, who wore a dark suit in court on Wednesday, was allowed to meet briefly in private with three family members before the hearing started. Afterward, he was taken into custody by U.S. marshals.He faces up to eight years in prison in a plea agreement worked out with the U.S. attorney's office. A sentencing date wasn't immediately set...more..http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090812/ap_on_re_us/us_missing_somalis
Plea deal for Somali terrorism suspect
A third man pleaded guilty Wednesday to terror-related charges stemming from a federal investigation into Americans traveling to Somalia to fight with Islamic militants.
Kamal Said Hassan, 24, acknowledged lying to FBI agents in February about the case and admitted spending time at a training camp run in Somalia by Al-Shabaab, a group designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist group linked to Al-Qaida.Hassan, of Plymouth, admitted Wednesday to a federal judge in Minneapolis that he had liedwhen he told federal agents that he had traveled directly to Yemen after spending time in the training camp. He told U.S. District Judge James Rosenbaum that he had fought with Al-Shabaab in Somalia.Hassan also admitted concealing the identities of people he associated with in Minnesota and Somalia.The sweeping federal investigation into the recruitment of up to 20 Somalis from the Twin Cities to fight in a civil war in their homeland is one of the most far-reaching counterterrorism probes since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001...more..http://www.startribune.com/local/53061282.html
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