2 Minnesota Women Convicted On Terror Charges Appeal Again
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Two Minnesota women who were convicted of conspiring to funnel money to a Somali terror group are seeking a rehearing after losing their first appeal.
Thirty-nine-year-old Amina Farah Ali and 68-year-old Hawo Mohamed Hassan were convicted in 2011 on counts that included conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Prosecutors told jurors the women were part of a "deadly pipeline" that routed money and fighters to al-Shabab. Ali was sentenced to 20 years in prison while Hassan drew 10 years.
A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld their convictions and sentences last month. On Tuesday, the two women petitioned for a rehearing before the full appeals court.
Defense attorneys pain the women as humanitarians who gave money to orphans and the poor.
(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)