Somalis claim entrapment in ISIS arrests
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Following the the first court appearance for four of the six Minnesota men charged with trying to join the terrorist group ISIS, a Somali activist standing alongside the father of two of the suspects made an accusation.
“The community and the family members really believe entrapment is involved in this case,” said Omar Jamal.
Jamal did most of the talking for Abdihamid Yusef, the father of Adnan and Mohamed Farah. But Yusef told reporters he believes in his sons’ innocence.
“Yeah that’s what I believe, yes,” he said.
As 50 members of the Somali community watched, the lawyer for Zacharia Abduraman made an impassioned plea to get him out of jail — calling him “as American as anyone in this courtroom”… telling the judge the man has a job, takes college classes, and helps his family with bills.
Abdurahman is accused of traveling to New York to try and join ISIS fighters in Syria.
Jamal says families of the men were aware of the investigation but were hoping for some solution other than prosecution.
“Rehabilitate them. What got into them? The parents are more concerned about who’s doing this to their kids,” Jamal said.
Earlier in the day he made a call for the U.S government to do something to counter the terrorist group’s savvy recruitment techniques.
“The sad part is they fall for this propaganda machine,” Jamal said.
The suspects will be back in court Thursday for a detention hearing.
