ST. PAUL, Minn. – The FBI investigation into young Somali-American men leaving the Twin Cities to fight in their homeland continues, while community leaders look into why it’s happening.

There’s an open forum Wednesday night at the Rondo Library and something that’s sure to be on the agenda is the arrest of a Minnesota man last week. The FBI arrested Abdow Abdow, 26, of Chanhassen, Minn. in Nevada on Friday and charged him Tuesday with one count of making false statements about renting a car and driving to Nevada with four people, including some who left the country.

It’s part of a growing investigation by the FBI and growing worry in the large Somali community in the Twin Cities. It’s believed at least 20 Minnesota men have left to fight in Somalia’s continuing violence . At least four of those 20 men have been killed, including a suicide bomber .

Federal authorities have made arrests in the past couple of months and they appear to be following the money trail, trying to find who is recruiting young men and financing their trips to Somalia , only to die.

That’s the concern that will be addresses Wednesday night — why these men are leaving the peace and growing opportunity here in Minnesota, where many of them were born.

A federal judge rules Tuesday that Abdow will be released to a halfway house when a bed opens up. His next court appearance is set for the end of the month.

Wednesday night’s meeting at the Rondo Library run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. There are five other meetings between now and Nov. 25.

Source: myfoxtwincities

By Tom Halden

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