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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
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Somali Refugee Admits to Terror Charge

SAN DIEGO (CN) - A 25-year-old San Diego woman pleaded guilty Thursday to federal charges of conspiring to provide material to al-Shabaab, a foreign terrorist organization.

Al-Shabaab is trying to install Muslim Shari'a law in Somalia.

Nima Yusuf, a Somali refugee, "admitted that she entered into an agreement with Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan, Abdisalan Hussein Ali, Cabdulaahi Ahmed Faarax and Abdiweili Yassin Isse to provide material support to al-Shabaab in the form of money and personnel to work under the direction and control of al-Shabaab," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement.

"Yusuf admitted that she entered this agreement despite knowing that the United States had designated al-Shabaab as a foreign terrorist organization and that it was illegal to provide money or other material support to al-Shabaab.

"Hassan, Ali, Faarax and Isse are charged separately in a federal grand jury indictment in Minnesota for conspiring to provide material support to al-Shabaab, among other offenses. The Minnesota indictment also charges Faarax with solicitation to commit a crime of violence, based on his alleged recruitment of three other men to travel to Somalia to fight for al-Shabaab, one of whom is believed to have carried out a suicide bombing on al-Shabaab's behalf in or about October 2008."

Yusuf admitted that in 2010 she sent about $1,450 to the men, "who were then fighting in Somalia for al-Shabaab," prosecutors said. "She also admitted that, when she was twice interviewed by agents from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security concerning her activities, she falsely denied sending any money to Somalia."

Yusuf is being held without bail pending her sentencing, which is set for Feb. 10, 2012. She faces up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

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