Meredith Aby-Keirstead of the Anti-War Committee (AWC) introduced the event by describing how drone strikes in Somalia escalated under the Trump administration, and how President Joe Biden is continuing Trump’s devastating policies. “The fact is that Biden amping this up again has us very much concerned,” Aby-Keirstead stated. “We know from Afghanistan, Yemen, Pakistan, Iran and Syria, that U.S. airstrikes kill civilians, increase anti-U.S. resentment, and violate sovereignty on a daily basis.”

Jaylani Hussein, executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations-Minnesota (CAIR-MN), who recently visited his home country of Somalia, provided the main presentation, covering the history of U.S. intervention in Somalia and the ensuing political instability. He described how the U.S. has been intervening politically, economically and militarily in Somalia since the Cold War, including troop deployments beginning during the Somali Civil War of the 1990s.

Hussein explained that in 2006, after a long period when Somalia had no functional government, a group of religious leaders known as the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) armed themselves and restored a functioning government in southern Somalia. The U.S. designated the ICU as a “terrorist” group and backed an Ethiopian military intervention that destabilized Somalia once again, which, according to Hussein, led to the growth of more armed groups like Al-Shabaab. He said that U.S. foreign policy “literally created terrorists,” adding, “In 2006, if the U.S. just listened to the Somalis, and just allowed us to move forward and not intervene, Somalia today would be projected in a totally different way.”

According to the New America think tank, the U.S. to date has carried out 269 known drone strikes in Somalia, estimated to have killed almost 2000 people in total, including many civilians, with the most recent strike taking place on July 17, 2022. Hussein described how many Somalis know or are related to someone who has been killed by an American drone strike.

Hussein criticized the U.S.’s efforts to ameliorate the ongoing famine in Somalia, noting, “In situations like right now, drone strikes could actually further exaggerate the famine.” Hussein highlighted the role of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in helping weaken the country’s agricultural industry, by flooding the local market with cheap food produced by U.S. farming monopolies instead of supporting Somali farmers. “The United States policy on food, whether it’s during war or in peacetime – both are wrong. USAID completely annihilates every farming community that exists in the Third World,” Hussein explained. “There is no intention of actually solving the food security issues in these communities.”

Hussein also called attention to state repression of the Somali diaspora community in the U.S. “The FBI continues to target the Somali community in Minnesota. They have a clear distaste for the Somali community,” he said. CAIR-MN helps represent Somalis in the Twin Cities who face FBI harassment and abuse.

“The United States has no interest in helping the people of Somalia, of Ethiopia, of Kenya, in any other way than to have their military have access to do what they want,” Hussein concluded. “We do not ship our American hospitality. We ship our cowboy racist white supremacy.”

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Imperialism #Somalia #Africa

Minneapolis, MN – On June 1, 40 people stood holding signs that read, “No troops! No drones! U.S. hands off Somalia!” and “Troops home now!” on the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue bridge over the Mississippi River between Minneapolis and Saint Paul.

The Biden administration announced that 400 to 500 U.S. troops will be going to Somalia and that the U.S. plans to increase drone strike activities against Somali targets.

A statement issued by Women Against Military Madness and the Twin Cities Peace Campaign organizers said, “U.S. troops do not fight terrorism, U.S. drone strikes do not bring democracy. Join the June 1 Bridge Peace Vigil to say no to yet another endless U.S. military intervention.”

The weekly peace vigil is sponsored by Women Against Military Madness and the Twin Cities Peace Campaign.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #International #AntiwarMovement #Africa #PeoplesStruggles #Somalia #WomenAgainstMilitaryMadnessWAMM

On Nov. 16, three Somali American youth were sentenced to decades in prison. Guled Omar was given a prison sentence of 35 years and Abdirahman Daud and Mohamed Farah were each given sentences of 30 years in prison by Judge Davis in what the mainstream media has called the ‘ISIS trial.’

Omar, Daud and Farah were convicted by an all white jury on June 3, for conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, material support for terrorism and other charges. During the trial, it was established that the FBI’s paid informants created and funded a ‘conspiracy’ that entrapped a group of teenage friends in a plot to join ISIS and go to Syria. Even though no members of this group of friends went to Syria or fought for ISIS, they were arrested and portrayed as ‘terrorists’ by the prosecution and mainstream media.

More than 100 members of the Somali community and anti-war activists gathered outside the U.S. Federal Courthouse after the sentencing to protest against the Department of Justice’s investigation of the Somali community and the treatment of the community as suspected terrorists.

Burhan Mohumed, a Somali American activist with Minnesotans Against Islamophobia, reacted to the verdict, “His [the judge’s] only job was to enforce the law, not to condemn a whole community. I don’t know if that man voted for Trump, but I know he is pushing that philosophy of fear and hate. For him to convict those boys to 30 years when he knows they didn’t do anything – they were just thinking about it. We need to rally for justice because people like [Judge] Davis and the system he protects don’t serve justice and they never will.”

Jess Sundin, a spokesperson with the MN Anti-War Committee, explained, “As an anti-war activist, I know that the U.S. government will stop at nothing to justify its wars abroad. This travesty of justice show us the lengths they will go to right here at home. It doesn’t matter that these young men hated the Syrian regime as much as the U.S. government does. It doesn’t matter that the U.S. government has in fact bombed markets, wedding parties, funeral processions, even hospitals, in its pursuit of its aims abroad. Don’t listen to the Donald Trumps and Fox News of the world – we know that the country’s most dangerous terrorists are not here in Minneapolis, they work at the Pentagon!”

Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, denounced repression against the Somali, Muslim and Arab communities and urged people to attend the Nov. 29 Detroit, Michigan court hearing for Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh.

Ayan Farah, the mother of Mohamed Farah, spoke to the crowd and said, “These boys got 30 and 35 years. That’s not even the verdict that murderers get.” She thanked the crowd for their support through this trial.

Earlier in the week, Judge Davis sentenced the other six defendants. As a reward for testifying against their friends and for cooperating with the FBI, the judge gave time already served with 20 years supervised release to Abdullahi Yusuf and sentenced Abdirizak Warsame to 30 months in prison. Three of the defendants had pleaded guilty but did not help the prosecution. Defendants Zacharia Abdurahman got 10 years in prison, Hamza Ahmed got 15 years in prison, Hanad Musse got 10 years in prison and Adnan Farah got 10 years in prison. All of the defendants are young men are between 20 and 22 years old.

#MinneapolisMN #Minneapolis #AntiwarMovement #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #PoliticalPrisoners #politicalRepression #Somalia #Antiracism

On Nov. 16, three Somali American youth were sentenced to decades in prison. Guled Omar was given a prison sentence of 35 years and Abdirahman Daud and Mohamed Farah were each given sentences of 30 years in prison by Judge Davis in what the mainstream media has called the ‘ISIS trial.’

Omar, Daud and Farah were convicted by an all white jury on June 3, for conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, material support for terrorism and other charges. During the trial, it was established that the FBI’s paid informants created and funded a ‘conspiracy’ that entrapped a group of teenage friends in a plot to join ISIS and go to Syria. Even though no members of this group of friends went to Syria or fought for ISIS, they were arrested and portrayed as ‘terrorists’ by the prosecution and mainstream media.

More than 100 members of the Somali community and anti-war activists gathered outside the U.S. Federal Courthouse after the sentencing to protest against the Department of Justice’s investigation of the Somali community and the treatment of the community as suspected terrorists.

Burhan Mohumed, a Somali American activist with Minnesotans Against Islamophobia, reacted to the verdict, “His [the judge’s] only job was to enforce the law, not to condemn a whole community. I don’t know if that man voted for Trump, but I know he is pushing that philosophy of fear and hate. For him to convict those boys to 30 years when he knows they didn’t do anything – they were just thinking about it. We need to rally for justice because people like [Judge] Davis and the system he protects don’t serve justice and they never will.”

Jess Sundin, a spokesperson with the MN Anti-War Committee, explained, “As an anti-war activist, I know that the U.S. government will stop at nothing to justify its wars abroad. This travesty of justice show us the lengths they will go to right here at home. It doesn’t matter that these young men hated the Syrian regime as much as the U.S. government does. It doesn’t matter that the U.S. government has in fact bombed markets, wedding parties, funeral processions, even hospitals, in its pursuit of its aims abroad. Don’t listen to the Donald Trumps and Fox News of the world – we know that the country’s most dangerous terrorists are not here in Minneapolis, they work at the Pentagon!”

Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, denounced repression against the Somali, Muslim and Arab communities and urged people to attend the Nov. 29 Detroit, Michigan court hearing for Palestinian American leader Rasmea Odeh.

Ayan Farah, the mother of Mohamed Farah, spoke to the crowd and said, “These boys got 30 and 35 years. That’s not even the verdict that murderers get.” She thanked the crowd for their support through this trial.

Earlier in the week, Judge Davis sentenced the other six defendants. As a reward for testifying against their friends and for cooperating with the FBI, the judge gave time already served with 20 years supervised release to Abdullahi Yusuf and sentenced Abdirizak Warsame to 30 months in prison. Three of the defendants had pleaded guilty but did not help the prosecution. Defendants Zacharia Abdurahman got 10 years in prison, Hamza Ahmed got 15 years in prison, Hanad Musse got 10 years in prison and Adnan Farah got 10 years in prison. All of the defendants are young men are between 20 and 22 years old.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #OppressedNationalities #PeoplesStruggles #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #PoliticalPrisoners #politicalRepression #Somalia #Antiracism

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

Setbacks and defeats for the regime, along with corruption, have made the puppet government increasingly unstable.

Lacking popular support, the Somali regime rules limited areas of the country with the help of foreign troops and their Western backers. The African Union Mission in Somalia, which supplies troops from countries whose governments are closely tied with the West, provides the military muscle to keep the Somali regime in power.

In January of this year, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton underscored the importance of the U.S. role in Somalia, stating, “We provided more than $650 million in assistance to the African Union Mission in Somalia, more than $130 million to Somalia’s security forces.”

The U.S. special operation forces have carried out numerous attacks in Somalia and the country is often the target of drone warfare.

#Somalia #AbdiFarahShirdon #HassanSheikhMohamud #Africa

Reports indicate the Oct. 5 attack was aimed at the Al Shabaab, an organization that is fighting to remove foreign troops from the country.

In Washington D.C., Pentagon spokesperson George Little said, “I decline comment,” according to UK newspaper The Telegraph.

The U.S. and its proxies such as Ethiopia and Kenya are trying to impose a puppet government on Somalia, in order to strengthen U.S. domination of the strategically important horn of Africa.

#MinneapolisMN #Somalia #AlShabaab #Africa

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following article by Abayomi Azikiwe of the Pan-African News Wire

Billows of smoke emanated from the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, Kenya on the third day of a standoff between Kenyan, Israeli and United States forces (FBI) against the seizure of the facility by members of the Al-Shabaab Islamic resistance movement based in Somalia. Reports indicated that at least 62 people had been killed since the incident began on Saturday September 21.

Eyewitnesses reported that a group of armed men and women stormed the entrance of the mall during midday shooting at random and tossing hand grenades. Members of the armed group were quoted as saying that their operation was in response to the ongoing occupation by approximately 2,500 Kenyan Defense Forces (KDF) troops of southern Somalia.

Kenya, which shares a border with Somalia, entered the troubled Horn of Africa state in October 2011 in what was called Operation Linda Nchi (protect the nation in Kiswahili). The Kenyan government at this time was led by President Mwai Kibai and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, two close allies of the U.S. administration.

KDF forces bombed the strategic port city at Kismayo in the early phase of the operation. The city was a financial base for Al-Shabaab which controlled the lucrative charcoal exports from the country.

Since the intervention of Kenya into Somalia, unrest has continued in the south of the country where resistance is escalating outside Kismayo involving Al-Shabaab guerillas who attack KDF positions on a daily basis. Even local politicians and elders not associated with Al-Shabaab have complained about the activities of the Kenyan forces which are accused of interfering in the internal affairs of the region as well as human rights violations against civilians.

The Role of the U.S. in the Somalia Crisis

The attack on the Westgate Mall is being portrayed by the corporate and capitalist government-controlled media in the U.S. and Europe as a new episode in the so-called 'war on terrorism.' Yet the role of the White House through the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) goes without mention.

U.S. imperialism has been involved in attempts to influence the political situation in Somalia and the Horn of Africa for many decades. During the late 1970s, former Somalian military leader Mohamed Siad Barre was courted by the Carter administration and convinced that an invasion of Ethiopia, then in alliance with the Soviet Union and Cuba, would result in Washington's economic and military support to the beleaguered state which had attempted to adopt a socialist-orientation in 1969.

The invasion of the Ogaden region of Ethiopia in 1978, where a large population of Somalis lived, proved to be a monumental disaster for Mogadishu. Cuban internationalist forces then in Ethiopia to assist the government of Mengistu Haile Mariam fought alongside the national army of Addis Ababa defeating Barre's forces.

This ill-advised military adventure plunged Somalia into a deeper economic and political crisis that lasted for well over a decade. By early 1991, the Barre regime had collapse leaving a vast security and political vacuum inside the country.

Later in December 1992, the administration of George H.W. Bush sent 12,000 Marines into Somalia in what was called 'Operation Restore Hope.' The intervention was sold to the people of the U.S. and the world as a 'humanitarian mission' designed to address problems stemming from the drought and famine which had long plagued the country.

Nonetheless, by early 1993, Somalians had risen up against the intervention by the U.S., other western-imperialist states and United Nations forces occupying the nation. Dozens of Pentagon and UN troops lost their lives in a humiliating defeat that drove these military occupiers from Somalia in 1994.

Since this defeat in Somalia, the U.S. has never given up on controlling this region of Africa. With the overthrow of the socialist-oriented government of Mengistu in 1991, Washington enhanced its influence through working with the federal government in Ethiopia then headed by Meles Zenawi.

By 2006, the U.S. 'war on terrorism' was well underway with occupations taking place simultaneously in Afghanistan, Iraq and Haiti. In order to avoid the political fallout of another direct intervention, the Bush II administration encouraged Ethiopia to invade Somalia in order to displace the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) which had begun to consolidate its influence and stabilize the country after years of war and factional strife.

The main problem the U.S. had with the Islamic Courts was that it was operating outside of Washington's influence. After two years of the intervention by Ethiopia, Somalia was again facing famine with the worst humanitarian crisis in the world at that time.

Ethiopian military forces withdrew in early 2009 and sections of the Islamic Courts were won over to a Washington-backed Transitional Federal Government (TFG). A youth wing of the Islamic Courts arose known as Al-Shabaab (the youth) and began to wage war against the TFG demanding that all foreign forces be withdrawn from Somalia.

Beginning in 2007, the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) was formed with the bulk of its forces coming from the U.S.-allied government of President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda. Fighting has continued in Somalia since this time period with periodic and direct intervention by the Pentagon and the CIA.

U.S. and British bombing operations have been carried out against alleged Al-Shabaab and Al-Qaeda bases in Somalia. The country is also a base of operations for the U.S. drone programs which extends from the Horn of Africa all the way into the Indian Ocean islands of Seychelles.

In addition, the CIA has a major field station in Mogadishu and has maintained detention facilities inside Somalia imprisoning purported suspects in the 'war on terrorism.' The combined AMISOM forces now consisting of some 17,500 troops, receives training and funding from Washington.

The Somalia operation of the U.S. is part and parcel of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) which was formally started in 2008 under Bush but has been strengthened and enhanced by the Obama administration.

Kenya's intervention in southern Somalia in October 2011 had been planned for at least two years. The release of WikiLeaks cables in 2010 documented the plans and the role of the State Department.

In an article published by the Kenyan Daily Nation on December 17, 2010, it reports that 'The cables also say the military action took years of planning and was not a spontaneous reaction to abductions conducted by the Islamist group on Kenyan soil as repeatedly stated by government officials. The abductions seemed to provide Kenya with a convenient excuse to launch the plan, which, officials argued, was necessary to ensure protection against threats posed by an unstable neighbor.'

This secret plan, dubbed 'Jubaland Initiative,' outlined the creation of an artificial state in southern Somalia in an effort to choke off Al-Shabaab from the border areas near Kenya. At a meeting in Ethiopia in January 2010, the Kenyan delegation led by the-then Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang'ula appealed for U.S. support in the operation.

In addition to U.S. involvement in Somalia and Kenya, the state of Israel also has close ties with the government in Nairobi. Israeli economic interests are much in evidence in Kenya where tourism hotels and other businesses such as the Westgate shopping mall are owned by capitalists who are citizens of the Zionist state.

Developments in Kenya and throughout the entire region of East Africa must be viewed within the context of U.S. economic and strategic interests in partnership with its NATO allies and the state of Israel. In recent years new findings of oil and natural gas all along the coast of East Africa is of course a source of imperialist interests in the region.

At the same time flotillas of U.S. and European Union warships have been occupying the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia for several years under the guise of fighting piracy. Underlying this occupation of the Gulf of Aden is the vast economic resources that are transported through this waterway which is one of the most lucrative in the world.

The current government of President Uhuru Kenyatta in Nairobi was not the favored choice of the Obama administration during the elections in March. Washington supported former Prime Minister Odinga in the race and had issued veiled threats against Kenya if it did not vote the way the U.S. wanted.

Both President Kenyatta and Vice-President William Ruto are under indictment by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. Ruto requested and was granted an adjournment of his trial that was taking place at the time of the Westgate mall attack pending the outcome of the standoff.

Kenyatta and Ruto are accused of human rights violations during the course of a violent dispute over the results of the previous elections held in late 2007. Their prosecution by the ICC has been rejected by the Kenyan government as well as the entire 54-member nations of the African Union.

The ICC has been severely criticized by the African Union due to its exclusive pre-occupation with prosecuting continental leaders. Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is also under indictment by the ICC and could be denied a visa by the State Department to attend the UN General Assembly in New York even though Washington is not a signatory to the Rome Statue that created the ICC.

#Kenya #NA #Africa #USImperialism #Somalia #AlShabaab #Nairobi #MogadishuOccupation

Witnesses at the airport say that the crash was followed by large explosions, suggesting the aircraft was carrying war material.

Via Twitter feed, the Somali resistance organization Al-Shabaab stated they were glad for the crash and said there are indications that the weapons were meant for militias associated with the pro-western puppet government that rules a portion of Somalia.

Ethiopian troops are playing major role in propping up the Mogadishu-based puppet regime that is funded by the U.S.

#Somalia #USImperialism #AlShabaab #MogadishuInternationalAirport #Ethiopia #Africa

Minneapolis, MN – About 200 Somalis, mainly women, converged on the Federal Building here, May 16, for the sentencing hearing of two Somali humanitarian workers. Amina Ali and Hawo Hassan were convicted of ‘material support for terrorism’ in October, 2011. Judge Michael J. Davis handed down a 20-year sentence for Amina Ali and a 10-year sentence for Hawo Hassan.

A statement from Somali Community Members In Minnesota stated, “Amina Ali and Hawo Hassan have great hearts. These women will go beyond their ability to help others. Both are highly respected by many in the Somali community. They have touched the lives of so many of us here in the Twin Cities… Amina Ali and Hawo Hassan are great humanitarian workers.” In front of the courthouse some supporters of Ali and Hassan carried small signs saying the two are heroes.

During the course of her trial Ali showed incredible courage. She was repeatedly charged with ‘contempt’ when she refused to stand for the judge due to her religious beliefs.

The two women, who lived in Rochester, Minnesota, collected clothing and raised money to help destitute people in their homeland. The prosecution claims that they helped al-Shabab, an Islamist organization that fights to free Somalia from foreign domination.

The May 16 sentencing of Ali and Hassan was the culmination of a week of outrageous federal sentencing hearings where a total of nine members of the Somali community were sent to prison.

Jess Sundin, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, was one of the anti-war activists who came to the Federal Building to support Ali and Hassan. “These two women have done nothing wrong and the prison sentences are nothing short of shameful. They are great people who have done wonderful things.”

#MinneapolisMN #PoliticalPrisoners #Somalia #HawoMohamedHassan #AminaAli #InjusticeSystem

During the course of the trial, members of the Somali community packed the court room to support the men. One of the defendants, Mohamed Mohamed Mohamud, is a well known religious leader.

The government’s case relied on its interpretations of wiretaps and attempts to inflame the jury.

At issue is the fact that many in the community strongly opposed the U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion of Somalia and attempts to install a Western-backed puppet government. The indictment of the four men explicitly equates fighting the Ethiopian invasion with terrorism.

This case is the latest of many targeting Somali immigrants who are working to help their homeland.

#SanDiegoCalifornia #SanDiegoCA #politicalRepression #Somalia #materialSupport #Africa

At the airport, Shah made a strange statement, in which he called Somali a ‘model.’

Shah also stated, “Since 2007, the U.S. has supported Somalia and its neighbors, first Uganda and Burundi, then Kenya and Djibouti, as Somali and AMISOM [African Union Mission in Somalia] forces' efforts to drive al-Shabaab out of Somalia’s cities and towns.”

Significantly, he failed to mention the U.S-backed Ethiopian invasion of Somalia.

The U.S. also provided air support to Ethiopian troops in Somalia, has repeatedly launched drone attacks on resistance forces, and at times has used food as a weapon.

#Somalia #USImperialism #USAID #RajivShah #Africa

In a fawning speech, President Sheikh said the “United States has always been the country that never left Somalia and have been engaging Somalia with difficult times at different levels, including when the existence of Somali nation was threatened in early 90s...Had that intervention not been there, it would have been difficult and different today, the situation in Somalia. So that relationship is there and the commitment and the unwavering support of the United States has always been.”

The Somali regime used to be known as the Transitional Federal Government (TFG). The TFG was formed in a Kenyan hotel and was later backed up by the U.S.-approved Ethiopian invasion of Somalia. It is now kept in power by troops from the African Union.

Secretary of State Clinton admitted the importance of the U.S. role in Somalia, stating, “We provided more than $650 million in assistance to the African Union Mission in Somalia, more than $130 million to Somalia’s security forces.”

The U.S. also provided air support to Ethiopian troops in Somalia, has repeatedly launched drone attacks on resistance forces, and at times has used food as a weapon.

#WashingtonDC #USImperialism #Somalia #HassanSheikh #TransitionalFederalGovernment #Africa

Brooklyn, NY – Three men from Somalia, Ali Yasin Ahmed, Madhi Hashi and Mohamed Yusuf, appeared in Federal District Court here, Dec. 21, on charges of violating U.S. “material support for terrorism” and gun laws. What makes this case different from the dozens of U.S. cases involving Somali men and women in Minnesota, California and other states is that there is no indication the men are U.S. residents or citizens, or that they have ever traveled to the U.S.

The conspiracy to provide “material support to a foreign terrorist organization” stems from their alleged membership in the Somali resistance organization, al Shabaab. Al Shabaab is an Islamic political movement that is fighting the U.S.-backed foreign intervention in Somalia.

The gun charge, according to a Dec. 21 press release form the New York Eastern District U.S. Attorney’s Office, involves the “unlawful use of machine guns” in Somalia.

The case against the three men rests on the dubious legal theory that U.S. laws can be applied anywhere in the world. The New York Times states, “Court documents show no connection between the alleged crimes and the United States.”

Two of the men, Mohamed Yusuf and Ali Yasin Ahmed, lived in Sweden for a time. Madhi Hashi was born in Somalia and grew up in England. The British newspaper, The Independent reported on Dec. 23 that when Hashi lived in London, he was one of a group of young people who said they were pressured by the UK intelligence agency, MI5, to become informants. After his return to Somalia, Hashi’s UK citizenship was revoked.

The Independent says of Hashi, “His family had no idea where he was for five months until he appeared in a New York court on Friday accused of terrorism. Last night, his British lawyer, Saghir Hussain, said: ‘This has all the hallmarks of rendition. It appears the withdrawal of citizenship and the kidnapping by the Americans may have been co-ordinated.’”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office claims, “In early August 2012, the defendants were apprehended in Africa by local authorities while on their way to Yemen.” On Oct. 18, 2012, a grand jury in the Eastern District of New York returned a sealed indictment against the defendants. On Nov. 14, 2012, the Federal Bureau of Investigation took custody of the defendants and brought them to the Eastern District of New York.”

The Independent quotes Hashi’s father, Mohamed, “’We are not some slaves who can be passed around from one owner to another,’ he said. ‘Why was our son sent to the U.S.? He has been a British citizen for 15 years but then his citizenship was taken away suddenly and now we find out that he's in New York? Our family had to find out this news from public news sources as no one has contacted us until now. We are very worried about his condition as we have no information. The U.S. have not given our son any rights – we don't know where he's being held, how to contact him or how he's being treated. It is shocking that something like this can be done to someone based on accusations and suspicion only.’”

Among those who announced the charges against the three men Dec. 21 was Raymond Kelly, the Commissioner of New York City Police Department. The NYPD has built a massive intelligence network that spys on Arabs and Muslims around the U.S. It is also setting up satellite offices in other countries.

#BrooklynNY #InJusticeSystem #Somalia #alShabab #materialSupport #Africa

Lacking evidence of legal wrongdoing on Omar’s part, the prosecution concentrated on portraying the Somali resistance as “terrorism.”

“Mahamud Said Omar did nothing wrong. The prosecution and the FBI agents who organized this frame-up are the real criminals in this case,” stated Mick Kelly of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

#MinneapolisMN #Somalia #MahamudSaidOmar #alShabab

Many of the prosecution witnesses rarely mentioned Omar. Instead they concentrated on trying to criminalize the resistance to the U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion of Somalia.

Abdifatah Yusuf Isse testified against Omar. Isse admitted he was facing a life sentence for ‘terrorism’ charges, and had made a plea agreement which includes a promise to provide the prosecution with “substantial assistance.” This means that that the sentence that Isse ultimately gets is based on how well he does in testifying against others in the Somali community.

Joint Terrorism Task Force officer Martin Siebenaler testified against Omar. Siebenaler opened up a gun case and pulled out an AK-47 machine gun. Siebenaler then proceeded to say that the gun, which came from an ATF collection, was “most similar to” the weapons used by young resistance fighters in Somalia. The gun had nothing to do with the case. It was an attempt to bias the jury.

Kamal Said Hassan, a man who admits to lying during other federal court proceedings, also testified.

A number of the prosecution witnesses in the trial were connected to the Sept. 24, 2010 FBI raids on Midwest anti-war and international solidarity activists.

Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression states, “What the government proved is that they have no case. In essence the FBI admits they mistreated Omar, when they placed a sack over his head, and later interrogated him while he was ill. The real crime here is that Omar is sitting in jail and on trial. He has done nothing wrong.”

#MinneapolisMN #Somalia #MahamudSaidOmar #alShabab #PoliticalRepression

Court testimony revealed that VanDenover is part of a special ‘Horn of Africa’ FBI squad and participant in Minnesota’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Up until today, most witnesses have spent relatively little time talking about Omar or anything that he has done. Most of the testimony has been devoted to talking about the Somali resistance group, al-Shabab, and the young men from the Twin Cites who traveled to Somalia to fight the U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion.

VanDenover made two trips to the Netherlands to interrogate Omar, who was being held in a Dutch prison pending extradition to the U.S.

Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, and who was present at the Oct. 15 proceedings states, “Today the prosecution put FBI agent VanDenover on the stand and some transcripts from wire taps. Nothing said in court today should convince any person with common sense that Mahamud Said Omar is guilty of any wrongdoing.”

Several of the FBI agents mentioned in today’s testimony played important roles in the Sept. 24, 2010 raids on Midwest anti-war and international solidarity activists.

#MinneapolisMN #FBI #USImperialism #Somalia #InjusticeSystem #MahamudSaidOmar

Mohamud Said Omar is facing five charges, including material support for foreign terrorist organizations and conspiring to kill, kidnap, maim and injure persons abroad. Omar is fighting the charges and the government has yet to present credible evidence that he violated any law.

The testimony of prosecution witness Kamal Said Hassan dealt in part with his work for the FBI.

Hassan is one of the young men who left Minneapolis to fight the U.S.-backed Ethiopian invasion of Somalia. He joined al-Shabab, one of the main Somali groups resisting the invasion. Eventually Hassan decided to return to the U.S.

According to Hassan’s testimony, on his return trip home he first traveled to Yemen. At the U.S. embassy there, he met with three FBI agents and an Assistant U.S. Attorney. He returned to Minneapolis to face ‘terrorism’ charges, but instead of going to jail, he went to a hotel in Duluth, in northeastern Minnesota, with his FBI handlers. He was then placed in a home in Saint Louis Park, a suburb in Minneapolis, along with his wife – and FBI agents who stayed with him 24 hours a day. At the direction of the FBI, he made phone calls back to Somalia and went out to meet with men in the Somali community here. The FBI put him in the Saint Louis Park home so he could maintain his cover.

While the prosecution lacks evidence of legal wrongdoing by Omar, they are going all out to criminalize the Somali resistance againt the U.S./Ethiopian invasion. One of the prosecution’s exhibits today was a video produced by the Somali resistance. The video, which included song and spoken word poetry, showed the Somali resistance ambushing the invading Ethiopian army. The prosecution is trying to say that the fight to free Somalia from foreign intervention is ‘terrorism.’

Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, and who was present at today’s proceedings, stated, “The government is using self-confessed liars to frame an innocent man. Behind this is an agenda which aims to label those who fight to free their countries from western domination as ‘terrorism.’ This should be opposed by everyone who cares about justice or civil liberties.”

#MinneapolisMN #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #antiimperialism #Somalia #InjusticeSystem #MahamudSaidOmar

Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, stated, “This is an outrageous attempt to bias the jury. The prosecution had Siebenaler bring an ATF gun as a prop. The gun he was showing off was not linked to the defendant or anyone who has anything do with the case. It was an attempt to tell jurors that the defendant is dangerous. The tactic of introducing things that are inflammatory or scary, but that have nothing to do with the people on trial, has been used in many other so-called terrorism cases.”

Martin Siebenaler was involved in a similar stunt at the trial of another young Somali. Siebenaler was also a participant in the Sept. 24, 2010 raids on Twin Cities anti-war and international solidarity activists.

#MinneapolisMN #Somalia #AntiWar23 #InjusticeSystem #MahamudSaidOmar #MartinSiebenaler

Omar and his attorneys point out that he is not guilty of the absurd charges against him.

In Oct. 5’s proceedings, Omar’s attorney, Andrew Birrell, raised serious doubt about the credibility of a key prosecution witness, Abdifatah Yusuf Isse.

Birrell’s cross examination revealed that Isse, who was facing a life sentence for ‘terrorism’ charges, had made a plea agreement which includes a promise to provide the prosecution with “substantial assistance.” This means that that the sentence that Isse ultimately gets is based on how well he does in testifying against others in the Somali community.

During questioning, Isse told the court about how patriotism and the desire to fight the Ethiopian invasion motivated him to travel to Somalia in 2007 and join the resistance. He returned to the U.S. and was arrested by the FBI in Seattle in 2009. While in jail he began cooperating with the FBI. On the stand he admitted that, while in jail, he made phone calls to others in the Somali community that were recorded by the FBI.

Background

In 2006, Ethiopia, acting in concert with the Bush administration, invaded Somalia. Massive demonstrations of Somalis took place here in Minnesota. In Somalia, a large scale resistance movement developed, which gave rise to the group called al-Shabab. Al-Shabab, which translates as “the youth”, was then labeled as a ‘terrorist’ group by the U.S. government.

In recent years, Washington has taken to labeling insurgencies that oppose the domination of the U.S or its western allies as ‘terrorists.’ The effect of this policy is that nearly every organization that is waging a militant struggle for national liberation is stuck with the tag of ‘terrorist.’

Starting in 2008, a number of young Somali men, many who grew up in the Twin Cities, traveled to Somalia to fight back against the Ethiopian invasion. The U.S. government views this as ‘terrorism’ and has launched a witch hunt against the Somali community. Many have been jailed or are being hunted by the FBI.

Over the last month, there have been many reports that a new secret grand jury has been convened to investigate supporters of the Somali resistance, creating a climate of fear within the community.

Trial continues

On Oct. 9, Mahamud Said Omar’s trial will resume. Two of the government witnesses scheduled to testify took part in the Sept. 24, 2010 raids on anti-war and international solidarity activists.

Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, states, “A real injustice is taking place at this trial. Mahamud Omar has done nothing wrong. The prosecution is telling lies about him and they have a bigger agenda. They are trying to criminalize an entire community. The charges should be dropped now.”

#MinneapolisMN #antiwar #September24FBIRaids #USImperialism #Somalia #InjusticeSystem #MahamudSaidOmar