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Minnesota man charged with helping Al-Qaida
by Art Hughes, Minnesota Public Radio
January 21, 2004

Court documents allege a Minneapolis community college student arrested last month admitted to federal authorities he was at an Afghanistan training camp the same time as Osama bin Laden. Mohammed Abdullah Warsame, 30, is a Canadian citizen of Somali descent. A grand jury indicted him this week on charges of providing material support to the terrorist network Al Qaida. He is expected to return to Minneapolis to face the charges in court.

Minneapolis, Minn. — To federal officials charging him, Warsame is an example of the threat terrorists pose to people in smaller cities outside of New York and Washington. In a statement released after the court unsealed the indictment, U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said the "charge against Warsame is a grim reminder that Al-Qaida, aided by agents and cells in this country, continues it's shadowy efforts to destroy the lives and freedoms" of Americans. The indictment says Warsame conspired to provide material support to Al-Qaida up until his arrest last month. Minnesota U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger would not say what support Warsame allegedly provided.

"It means he provided material support to Al-Qaida and its operations," Heffelfinger said. "The indictment alleges that the conduct that amounts to material support took place during a time specified in the indictment roughly early 2000 to late 2003. The end of that conduct took place in Minnesota and elsewhere."

The grand jury indictment lists two aliases Warsame is alleged to have used. A judge in U.S. District Court New York ordered Warsame held without bond. Heffelfinger said Warsame should return to Minnesota by the end of next week.

"The grand jury, based on the evidence that was presented to them, found sufficient cause to charge him with providing material support to Al-Qaida, both while he was here in Minnesota and while he was elsewhere," he said.

Warsame's family in Minnesota is said to be floored by the charges. Omar Jamal with the Somali Justice Advocacy Center serves as a liaison for Warsame's wife.

"They are devastated, very emotional," Jamal said. "It was a very tough meeting. Shocked, confused, don't know what to say."

Warsame is the first Somali in Minnesota to be charged with terrorist connections following the September 2001 attacks. Jamal said, whether Warsame is guilty or not, he hoped other Somalis aren't judged inappropriately.

"We hope that -- and we believe having a trust in the common sense of Minnesotans, the average citizen on the street, that an individual person will not convict all the community," Jamal said.

He said he has concerns about the government's refusal to provide information about the case, but he has faith in the judicial process. Jamal said the threat of terrorism is the same for Somalis as it is for everyone else.

"I urge every (member) of the Somali community to not tolerate acts of terrorism---to work with the government if they see something very...suspicious because we are all vulnerable," he said.

If convicted Warsame faces a maximum 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

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