Mid-July Trial Expected In Somali Terror Case
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- The trial for a man accused of helping other young Somalis travel from Minnesota to their war-torn homeland to allegedly fight with a terror group is on track to begin July 19.
Defense attorneys for 26-year-old Omer Abdi Mohamed say they've analyzed evidence from a 2008 suicide bombing in Somalia. The defense wanted to verify the government's claim that the bomber was Shirwa Ahmed, who is named in charges against Mohamed.
While the defense can't comment on its findings, attorney Aaron Morrison said during a Wednesday hearing that "we do not have an issue on that front anymore."
Chief U.S. District Judge Michael Davis says Mohamed's trial date won't be changed over evidentiary issues, including the translation of video evidence from Somali to English. He told prosecutors to get those videos translated.
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