Two Rochester women were among 12 people of Somali descent with Minnesota ties named in a grand jury indictment Thursday morning.
The two women, Amina Farah Ali, 33, and Hawo Mohamed Hassan, 63, have been accused of funneling money to a Somali terrorist organization with al-Qaeda ties, according to the indictment. They were arrested Thursday morning by the FBI and expected to appear in St. Paul in the U.S. Disctrict Court Thursday afternoon. Both women are naturalized U.S. citizens.
Allegedly, the women went door-to-door collecting money, telling people who donated that the money would go toward helping the poor and needy in Ali and Hassan’s homeland. A total of $8,608 was transferred to Al-Shabaab through 12 wire transfers in 2008 and 2009, according to the indictment.
If convicted of the crimes alleged, the women face 15 years in prison.
Thursday was not the first time the women had been paid a visit by the FBI, according to the indictment. On July 13, 2009, FBI agents raided the home of Ali. After the raid, Ali allegedly called an Al-Shabab co-conspirator and said "I was questioned by the enemy here....they took all my stuff and are investigating it...do not accept calls from anyone." The indictment calls Ali “a senior member of Al-Shabaab's women's department.”
Ten men with Minnesota ties also were indicted Thursday, some not for the first time. They include Abdikadir Ali Abdi, 19, a U.S. citizen; Abdislan Hussein Ali, 21, a U.S. citizen; Cabdulaahi Ahmed Faarax, 33, a U.S. citizen; Farah Mohamed Beledi 26; and Abdiweli Yassin Isse, 26. They were charged with conspiring to and providing material support to al-Shabaab and conspiring to kill, maim and injure persons abroad. Faarax and Isse were previously charged.
Also previously charged are Ahmed Ali Omar, 27; Khalid Mohamud Abshir, 27; Zakaria Maruf, 31; Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan, 22; and Mustafa Ali Salat, 20. In the indictment unsealed Thursday, they were charged with conspiracies to provide material support to terrorists and foreign terrorist organizations; conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim and injure persons abroad; possessing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence; and solicitation to commit a crime of violence.
All 10 men with Minnesota connections charged Thursday are still at large. They are believed to be abroad.
Indictments also were handed down for people with Alabama and California ties.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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