Minneapolis, MN – Burhan Mohumed, a Somali-American leader in the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis and a member of Minnesotans Against Islamophobia, was visited by law enforcement on July 22. Mohumed refused to speak to them and quickly posted the audio of their encounter online.

On July 22 two law enforcement officers went to the Brian Coyle Community Center in Minneapolis where Mohumed works and asked to speak to him. When they were told he was not there they asked for his phone number and the staff refused to assist them. The officers then went to the large apartment complex across the street and found Mohumed’s apartment. They knocked on his door but Mohumed would not open the door and asked if they had a warrant. They did not. Mohumed insisted that he would not speak to them without an attorney.

The officers insisted that they wanted to talk to him and when Mohumed pressed for why they wanted to talk to him one answered that they’d heard some things about radicalization in the neighborhood. One threatened Mohumed, “You can make this easy or hard.”

The officers, one white man and one African American, would only give their first names. One was “Terry” and the other called himself “Steve.” They said they were police officers and showed their police badges to Mohumed through the peephole. However, at the end of their attempt to speak with Mohumed they told him to contact the FBI office in Brooklyn Center.

Mohumed contacted the Minnesota office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) the same day and reported what happened. A member of the CAIR civil rights office called the FBI office in Brooklyn Center and said they were representing Mohumed and that law enforcement should not contact him directly again because they were representing him. The FBI would not tell Mohumed’s attorney about what they wanted to speak to him about.

However on July 27, law enforcement went to the Brian Coyle Community Center again and asked the front desk for Mohumed. They refused to show identification and left the building without getting an opportunity to speak to Mohumed.

Mohumed believes he was approached as a part of a larger campaign by law enforcement which targets Somali immigrants and Somali Americans in Minneapolis, pitting them against each other. Many members of the community have been questioned in recent years as part of Department of Justice ‘terrorism’ investigations. This spring, Mohumed helped lead local defense work for three Somali youth entrapped by the FBI. That trial showed how law enforcement actively spies on the community, going so far as to manufacture a terrorism plot to ensnare youth like the three who were on trial earlier this year. Their trial ended in convictions that could mean life sentences for all three.

Mohumed is a vocal opponent of Counter Violent Extremism (CVE). Minneapolis is a pilot for the FBI and the Justice Department’s attempt to use non-profit money to bribe members of the Somali community to turn on each other. He does not believe that it was a coincidence that he was targeted for questioning by law enforcement only three days before anti-CVE local forum he organized.

Mohumed is worried about the stigma and silence in the Somali community that surrounds the governmental investigation of his community. Mohumed told Fight Back!, “I am speaking out because I want community members to be critical and raise their voice rather than be silenced for exercising your rights. I am hoping people will hear this and be empowered to think, ‘Hey I can say no to them and not talk to them.’”

“We are standing behind the Somali community here, where the FBI is hounding people every day and tearing the community apart with suspicion, threats and entrapment,” said Jess Sundin, of the Minnesota Anti-War Committee. She praised Mohumed's response to the knock at his door, “It's critical that community leaders end cooperation with the FBI and its bogus counter-terrorism campaign. Intimidation tactics are very dangerous when people try to face them alone, so speaking up after encounters like this, shining a light on their efforts, and uniting behind those who refuse to talk to the FBI or cooperate in any way, that's the most important thing.”

The three Somali youth are expected to face sentencing later this fall for convictions of material support for terrorism and related charges. Mohumed, Sundin and hundreds of supporters attended their trial in May, and the Minnesota Anti-War Committee will mobilize again for their sentencing.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #SomaliImmigrants #politicalRepression #Somalia #BurhanMohumed

Minneapolis, MN – About 40 people rallied in front of the Federal Courthouse, May 26, to demand justice for the three Somali youth who are facing life in prison, having been entrapped by the FBI. Family, other members of the Somali community and anti-war activists called for the release of Guled Omar, Abdirahman Daud and Mohamad Farah.

The mothers of the defendants thanked supporters for attending the trial. Jess Sundin of the Anti-War Committee denounced the government repression against the Somali community and Muslims. Sundin was one of the anti-war and international solidarity activists who was raided by the FBI in 2010.

Earlier in the day, defendant Guled Omar’s moving testimony blew holes in the government’s case.

The protest was organized by the Coalition to Defend the Muslim Community, which includes the Anti-War Committee, Minnesotans Against Islamophobia, the Global Somali Diaspora and others.

As the trial nears its conclusion, another protest has been called for Tuesday, May 31, 5 p.m., at the Federal Court building, 4th Street and 4th Avenue S, in downtown Minneapolis.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #AntiWarCommittee #SomaliImmigrants #Antiracism

The next solidarity rally is set for Thursday, May 12 at 4:30 p.m. at the U.S. District Court, 300 S. 4th Street, Minneapolis.

Supporters are mobilizing to fill the court room each day. They can sign-up for specific shifts at http://goo.gl/forms/UJNgctc2iq

Members of the peace movement are concerned about the role of FBI entrapment. Sophia Hansen-Day, a member of the Anti-War Committee, explains, “Since 9/11, the U.S. government has targeted Muslim community members and manufactured terror cases to sow fear and distrust, to justify massive spending for the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, and to criminalize people whose homelands are being bombed by the U.S. government and who speak out against U.S. foreign policy.”

Hansen-Day continues, “Now, East African youth are facing trumped up charges of ‘conspiracy to commit murder abroad’ for allegedly conspiring to join ISIL/Daesh in Syria. In reality, there would be no case if not for the FBI informant who was paid $41,000 to entrap these young men by encouraging them to travel abroad and making arrangements such as buying passports.”

Sarah Martin, a board member of Women Against Military Madness, has been in the courtroom every day. She explains the importance of this trial, “In the dangerous political climate of xenophobia, racism and anti-Islam hatred being espoused by extremists and even presidential candidates – conditions are ripe for suspicion of Somalis. The Department of Justice is contributing to this suspicion by targeting Muslims across the country – many from the countries under U.S. attack – using baseless suspicions.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Winter, who is prosecuting the Somali youth, is well known to Martin and Hansen-Day. Several members of the Anti-War Committee and Sarah Martin were among the targets of FBI raids and a grand jury investigation in 2010, a case that Winter also played a role in. For two years, undercover law enforcement agents spied on the anti-war, international solidarity and Palestinian activists. After nearly six years, their case remains open. Despite agents’ claims that the activists were ‘providing material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations,’ none have been charged.

“Sitting in that courtroom, hearing how these young men were spied upon, manipulated and entrapped, by someone who claimed to be their friend but was on the FBI’s payroll, I am reminded of our own experience, and how we too could be put on trial for our thoughts and words,” said Anti-War Committee member Jess Sundin who was also a target of the 2010 FBI raids. “These young men never hurt a soul, and yet they face the possibility of life in prison. How can we not stand with them and their families against this injustice?” Sundin also urges support for the Palestine American leader Rasmea Odeh who is facing jail and deportation on a trumped up immigration charge.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #ImmigrantRights #911 #FBI #SomaliImmigrants #PoliticalRepression #GuledAliOmar #AbdurahmanYasinDaud #MohamedAbdihamidFarah #ISIL

Minneapolis, MN – More than 100 people came to the Minneapolis Federal Courts Building to support three Muslim youth from the Somali community charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIL and to commit murder abroad. The trial began May 9, for Guled Ali Omar, 21; Abdurahman Yasin Daud, 22; and Mohamed Abdihamid Farah, 22, who were entrapped by the FBI and now face possible life sentences.

Family and friends of the young men were joined by some 20 activists and leaders of the local anti-war movement who rallied outside before entering the courthouse. Sophia Hansen Day of the Anti-War Committee said, “We know the U.S. government has a long history of criminalizing entire communities of oppressed people. While the federal prosecutors are framing this case under the specter of terrorism, in reality this is an escalation in the ongoing attack against the Muslim community generally and the Somali community specifically. This is about sowing fear and dividing our communities. Since 9/11, the U.S. government has targeted Muslim community members and manufactured terror cases to justify massive spending for the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, and criminalize people whose homelands are being bombed by the U.S. government.”

Sarah Martin of Women Against Military Madness encouraged supporters to return again and again, for a complicated trial that is expected to last four weeks. The rally was chaired by Karen Redleaf of the newly-formed Coalition to Defend the Muslim Community.

Inside the courtroom, Mohamed Farah appeared in his orange jail-issue clothing, while Omar and Daud were wearing suits. Seated at three separate tables, each with their attorney, a fourth table was occupied by a team of government prosecutors. U.S District Judge Michael Davis first heard from attorney Murad Mohammad, who filed a motion to withdraw as Farah’s attorney. Farah explained his distrust, saying the attorney had only met with him few times, pressuring him to plead guilty, and badgering him about payment, rather than preparing a defense. Judge Davis denied the motion, leaving Farah with a so-called defense attorney who failed to even arrange appropriate attire for his client to appear in court.

Several other motions were considered, most decided in the government’s favor, and the rest of the day was dedicated to jury selection. Out of a pool of 50 potential jurors, half of them were dismissed by Judge Davis, many admitting that they could not be impartial in the case. Jury selection will continue on Tuesday, and opening statements are expected Wednesday, May 11. Family, friends and supporters of the young men are expected to continue filling the courtroom and an overflow room.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #ImmigrantRights #911 #FBI #SomaliImmigrants #PoliticalRepression #GuledAliOmar #AbdurahmanYasinDaud #MohamedAbdihamidFarah #ISIL

St. Paul, MN – Hundreds of Somali American families gathered on the State Capitol grounds, Jan. 6, to protest shutdown of hawalas. Hawalas are the only way that Somalis in the U.S. can send money to relatives in their homeland. 3 million people in Somalia depended on these remittances for survival. Because of U.S. government restrictions stemming from the ‘war on terror,’ Sunrise Community Bank, the one bank that used to process funds for all of the hawalas in Minnesota, stopped working with hawalas in late December. This is a cause of great anguish for people fearful for their families in Somalia. One demand is for the U.S. to grant a waiver so the bank will resume processing wire transfers via hawalas.

#SaintPaulMN #SaintPaul #warOnTerror #SomaliImmigrants #Somalia #Hawalas #Africa

#MinneapolisMN #ImmigrantRights #News #PoliceBrutality #SomaliImmigrants