Minnesota Somalis Concerned After Thwarted Terror Plot In Kansas
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Three men in Kansas have been charged with trying to bomb an apartment complex, home to Somali immigrants.
The men had allegedly plotted the attack for an apartment in Garden City, Kansas. It was scheduled to happen the day after the election in November.
News of the plot has sent shockwaves through the Somali community here at home. The Twin Cities are home to the largest Somali population in America.
"We don't want anyone to be affected by any type of violence," Council on American-Islamic Relations chapter coordinator Abubakar Osman said.
Osman says while Islamophobia is nothing new, today's political rhetoric he believes has heightened anti-Muslim feelings.
"We track certain numbers of hate crimes and any type of anti-Muslim attacks happening and we're on pace to be the second highest year in the country," he said.
Omar Jamal, from St. Paul, feels conflicting emotions over the arrest of the three men in the attempted Kansas attack. He fears an attack happening in Minnesota but he's also thankful that the FBI was diligent in their months long investigation. He says keeping all communities safe will take changing the conversation
"You have democrats who are much too lenient about the problem," Jamal said. "Then you have republicans who are too extreme."
Prosecutors say the three men charged are part of a militia group that calls itself "The Crusaders". They say they are anti government, anti-Muslim, and anti-immigrant.
The three men are due in court on Monday.