Judge Michael J. Davis handed down a 20-year sentence for Amina Ali and a 10-year sentence for Hawo Hassan. Both are well respected humanitarian workers. Hundreds of supporters from the Somali community in Minnesota came to the sentencing hearing.

Before sentencing the two Muslim women to prison May 16, U.S. District Judge Michael Davis asked each woman if she supported “jihad, suicide bombings and Sharia law.” Judge Davis also asked, “Does she understand there are some Muslim women who wear dresses or short skirts?” Davis said he was trying to decide whether the defendants would “support terrorist causes” when they are released from prison. The questions reportedly drew audible reactions in a courtroom packed with Muslim spectators.

“It is misguided and unethical for a judge to reference an individual's general support of mainstream Islamic principles, known as Sharia, during sentencing to determine a defendant's future dangerousness,” said CAIR Staff Attorney Gadeir Abbas. “By also linking modest dress to a propensity for violence, the judge revealed a disturbing bias that may have impacted his decisions in this case and his sentencing of the defendants.”

He added that CAIR's complaint will not deal with the specifics of the cases or the charges against the defendants, but with the action of the judge in inappropriately questioning the defendants on their views about Sharia and modest attire, both of which are irrelevant to their cases.

#WashingtonDC #ImmigrantRights #Islamophobia #CouncilOnAmericanIslamicRelations #HawoMohamedHassan #AminaAli #InjusticeSystem

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

Minneapolis, MN – About 100 people gathered for a “Speak Out in Support of the Somali Community” Dec. 3. The organizers were inspired to do the forum after the Oct. 20 conviction of Amina Ali and Hawo Hassan, two Somali American women who raised money for charities assisting Somalia’s poor. The women’s conviction was related to providing “material support to foreign terrorist organizations.” During jury deliberations, supporters of the women made it clear that the situation for people in Somalia was dire and that people required help for basic survival.

“We feel it is important to educate people on the situation in Somalia that the women were trying to address,” said Jess Sundin, one of the event organizers, “but also to make this a call to people of conscience to work to stop the U.S. intervention in that country.”

Sponsored by the Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression and the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition, the event brought together a broad cross section of the peace and justice movement, along with many Somali Americans.

Hassan Ali Mohamud, Director and Imam of the Minnesota Dawa Institute, condemned the unjust treatment of Ali and Hawo. He also warned of recent government moves to curtail the ability of Somalis in the U.S. to send money to their relatives in their homeland. He noted that about 3 million Somalis depend on these remittances for their survival. There will be local actions soon to save the Somali money transfer establishments, called hawalas.

Faysal Mohamed, the husband of Amina Ali, told of the hardships faced by his family with his wife in jail. Mohamed, who cares for the family’s two young daughters and bedridden mother-in-law, spoke movingly about taking his daughters to visit Ali in the Ramsey County jail, where the family could only communicate via closed circuit camera.

Attorney Bruce Nestor talked about the repression that is being unleashed on the Somali community and urged participants not to talk to the FBI. He brought out the fact that the government case was around the fundraising of a little over $8000 over the course of years, but that the feds spent millions of dollars, did hundreds of hours of wiretapping and involved many thousands of hours agents’ time in prosecuting the two women.

Nestor also made the point that if these laws were in effect in the 1980s and 90s, there could have been no anti-apartheid, Irish republican or Central America solidarity movements.

Mel Reeves, of the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition, spoke against U.S. intervention in Somali and in support of self-determination for the Somali people. He put out a clear call to resist cowing down to the government when they pass unjust laws and try to tell people what to think.

Both women were convicted of conspiracy to provide material support for a foreign terrorist organization. In addition, Ali was convicted of 12 counts of providing material support and Hassan was convicted of two counts of lying to FBI agents. Each count of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization carries a 15-year sentence. On the day of the conviction, there were huge protests in Somalia over the women’s cases.

The women were accused of helping al-Shabab, an Islamist organization that fights to free Somalia from foreign domination.

Participants at the forum were urged to pack the courtroom for the sentencing of Amina Ali and Hawo Hassan. The sentencing is expected to happen in the early spring. Before that, there will be other actions and campaigns around the case. Donations to the legal defense fund for both women can be made and sent to: Amina Ali Legal Fund, 1860 Quarry Ridge Pl NW, Suite 126, Rochester, MN 55901.

“The witch hunt that the FBI is waging against the Somali community is very disturbing. They are using coercive tactics to scare people into talking, and then twisting words in a way that puts many in danger of persecution. Across the country, their tactics against the Arab and Muslim communities are unconscionable and it’s time we all get together to put a stop to this FBI abuse,” according to Steff Yorek, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression. Yorek is a Minneapolis activist whose home was raided on Sept. 24, 2010, and who was served with a subpoena for a grand jury fishing expedition for ‘material support for foreign terrorist organizations.’

“The material support law is unjust and an attempt to criminalize people who support resistance to U.S. domination. We should never accept the idea that solidarity is some sort of crime,” states Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.

The repression in the Somali community comes in the context of growing U.S. intervention in Somalia.

“The U.S. attacks on Somalia are ramping up in a big way,” says Joe Callahan of the Minnesota Peace Action Coalition. “The U.S. is sending in robot-drones to bomb and kill hundreds of people. Tens of thousands of troops, acting on the behalf of the U.S., from the African Union, Kenya and now Ethiopia are moving in to kill more.”

#MinneapolisMN #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #MinnesotaPeaceActionCoalition #MinnesotaCommitteeToStopFBIRepression #Somalia #HawoMohamedHassan #alShabab #AminaAli

Sherburne County Sheriff Joel Brott refuses to allow Ali to wear a scarf, or hijab, to cover her head, a common religious practice for many Muslim women.

Ali, who is awaiting sentencing, is accused of helping al-Shabab, an Islamist organization that fights to free Somalia from foreign domination. In addition to a conspiracy charge, she was convicted of 12 material support charges. Each charge carries up to a 15 year sentence.

A friend of Ali’s, Hawo Mohamed Hassan, was convicted of 2 counts of lying to an FBI agent and is also awaiting sentencing.

On the day of their conviction, Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression stated, “These women have done nothing wrong. They care about the people of Somalia and worked to make the country a better place. The U.S. government has no business dictating what political party, religion or social movements that the Somali people chose to support. The laws on ‘material support for terrorism’ should be scrapped.”

#MinneapolisMN #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #discriminacion #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #HawoMohamedHassan #AminaFarahAli #alShabab #SherburneCountyJail

Minneapolis, MN – There were tears and anger at the Federal Courthouse here, Oct. 20, after Hawo Mohamed Hassan and Amina Farah Ali, two Somali American women who raised money for charities assisting Somalia’s poor, were found guilty of providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations.

Supporters of Ali and Hassan, mainly women, packed the courtroom as the all white jury returned with the guilty verdict. An overflow crowd of Somali women and men filled the plaza outdoors, along with members of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression (CSFR). After the verdict, everyone gathered outside, where many cried, prayed and expressed anger at the injustice.

Steff Yorek of the CSFR said, “We showed up to the Federal Courthouse this morning to wait with the women – and that was the right thing to do. All of the women were very welcoming. Amina took time from her prayers to thank us for being there.”

Both women were convicted of conspiracy to provide material support for a foreign terrorist organization. In addition, Ali was convicted of 12 counts of providing material support and Hassan was convicted of two counts of lying to FBI agents. Each count of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization carries a 15-year sentence.

The women were accused of helping al-Shabab, an Islamist organization that fights to free Somalia from foreign domination.

Amina Farah Ali, 35, is taking care of her paralyzed mother and two children. Hawo Mohamed Hassan is 64 and is battling many health problems. Both women were taken into custody and are now in jail. Sentencing will take place sometime in the next few months.

Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression stated, “These women have done nothing wrong. They care about the people of Somalia and worked to make the country a better place. The U.S. government has no business dictating what political party, religion or social movements that the Somali people chose to support. The laws on ‘material support for terrorism’ should be scrapped.”

The Committee to Stop FBI Repression will help to mobilize activities around the sentencing and the appeals.

#MinneapolisMN #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #Somalia #HawoMohamedHassan #AminaFarahAli #alShabab #materialSupport

Minneapolis, MN – More than 60 Somali women assembled outside the Federal Courthouse here, Oct. 19, in support of Hawo Mohamed Hassan and Amina Farah Ali, two Somali humanitarian workers who are charged with providing ‘material support for a foreign terrorist organization.’

The two women, who raised money to help destitute people in their homeland, are accused of helping al-Shabab, an Islamist organization that fights to free Somalia from foreign domination.

The jury is still out on the case.

Mick Kelly, of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression states, “These women have done nothing wrong. They worked hard to help people in need. They deserve the support of everyone who cares about justice.”

#MinneapolisMN #MinneaplisMN #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #Somalia #HawoMohamedHassan #AminaFarahAli #alShabab