'They Destroyed Our Home,' Terror Suspect's Family Says
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- More details are emerging about the six Minnesotans who are accused of trying to join ISIS, and were arrested Sunday both in Minneapolis and in San Diego.
The U.S Attorney's Office in Minnesota said for ten months they monitored the men as they tried to get to Syria to join ISIS fighters. They are Mohamed Abdihamid Farah, 21; Adnan Abdihamid Farah, 19; Abdurahman Yasin Daud, 21; Zacharia Yusuf Abdurahman, 19; Hanad Mustafe Musse, 19; and Guled Ali Omar, 20.
Omar was among the suspects arrested in the Twin Cities. His mother, Fudamo Hussein, said she does not believe her son should have arrested.
WCCO talked with Hussein, as well as Omar's sister, who translated as Hussein does not speak English well. The two said their family is being evicted after this latest arrest.
"They made us seem like violent people so our landlord is now kicking us out of the house," Hussein said. "My son's been taken and he was just a normal kid. They took him for no reason."
It's not the first time the question of terrorism has been raised in her family.
According to the criminal complaint, Omar's older brother, Ahmed Ali Omar, was among those who joined al-Shabab, leaving Minnesota in December 2007.
Hussein said she hasn't heard from Ahmed Omar since he left and she doesn't believe Guled Omar, who worked for the company American Security, would follow in his brother's footsteps.
Authorities say Guled Ali Omar tried to leave the country in May of last year, withdrawing $5,000 cash from his federal financial aid check.
While Guled Ali Omar remains in jail, his mother is left to pick up the pieces.
"They destroyed our home, and now we have to clean up, because they are coming for us right now," Hussein said through her daughter. "We came here to live as normal citizens and live how everyone else would live, pay taxes just like everyone else."
The four defendants who were arrested in Minneapolis, including Guled Ali Omar, appeared briefly in court Monday and were all assigned public defenders.
In a news conference Monday, U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said Omar and the others accused "never stopped plotting" how to join ISIL in Syria.
"What is remarkable about this case is that nothing stopped these defendants from pursuing their goal," he said. "They were not confused young men, they were not easily influenced. These are focused men who were intent on joining a terrorist organization by any means possible."
Gov. Dayton pointed to unemployment in Somali youth as fuel to terror group recruitment.
"I think it's unfortunate that they think that that's where their future lies," he said.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Thursday.
Authorities say just a few weeks ago, several of the defendants gave photographs and cash to a confidential informant for fake passports.