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Bel Ahdan with Somali Activist Ilhan Omar … somali community reaction to westgate bombing

 

Published on Oct 3, 2013

StarTribune reported, the bombing of a Kenyan shopping mall by Al-Shabab is shining an unwelcome spotlight on Minnesota’s Somali community, which has been tied in the past to terrorism and Islamic extremism.

Home to the largest Somali community in the United States, the Twin Cities has been a recruiting ground for ­Al-Shabab, an Al-Qaida-linked extremist Islamic group that has taken responsibility for carrying out the attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi.

Minnesota Somali leaders on Monday moved quickly to distance the community from the attacks, while awaiting word on the possibility that recruits from the state may once again be involved in violent terrorist action overseas. They refused to address reports that Somali-Americans were involved in the attack and said they had little information about who may have been involved.

Kyle Loven, a spokesman for the FBI in Minnesota, said the local office’s investigation into recruitment of Somali-Americans into Al-Shabab remains active. He added that the local office is monitoring the situation in Nairobi but is not able to confirm identities of anyone involved.

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Ahmed Tharwat …. in the middle Ahmed Tharwat Im a host and producer of the Arab-Muslim Americans TV show BelAhdan with Ahmed (with open arms), a weekly TV show that airs on public TV Mondays at 1030PM. As a regular speaker and contributor on Public Radio show All Thing Considered, I have shared my unique view of world and American political and social events. As a regular contributor to StarTribune, the Pioneer Press, and Twin City Planet , also he has written to national and international magazines, such Slate, Diversify Inc and Al Jazeera English. I won the Pioneer Press community columnist award in 2000. In all my work, I have been Trying to bring Arab/Muslims to mainstream Americans.. . I believe that when it comes to politics “Nobody has a monopoly on stupidity” Thanks In The Middle ... Ahmed Tharwat/ Host BelAhdan TV show Freelance Writer, Public Speaker, International Media Fixer www.ahmediatv.com

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