Saturday, September 18, 2010

Young Somalis warned about extremists

Recruiters for terrorists and other extremist groups prey on young people full of grievances and suffering through identity crises, aching for a sense of belonging.

Maajid Nawaz sees why other young Muslims might be tempted to join groups such as al-Shabab, the al-Qaida-linked terrorist organization in Somalia, especially since it has become a brand of sorts, Nawaz said.

"It's become trendy to brag about," Nawaz said.

Nawaz spoke to about 100 Somalis last night at Monaco's on Cleveland Avenue on the Northeast Side. The U.S. attorney's office brought in Nawaz, who co-founded the British-based Quilliam, a counterterrorism think tank.

Nawaz told the group about his own experiences and how alienation and anger can drive a young man toward extremist views.

As a young man of Pakistani descent growing up outside London, England, he watched racists stab his white friends for being with him, and he was falsely arrested for a robbery.

He ended up joining a global extremist Islamic group, Hizb ut-Tahrir, then spending four years in an Egyptian prison for his involvement in the group.

Young men who were born here of Somali parents can be vulnerable because they're trapped between two worlds, not fitting in with their parents' worldview, yet not feeling accepted by their American peers.

Parents should be aware of online recruiters and forums, according to Nawaz's colleague, Ghaffar Hussain.

They also should encourage their children to embrace different interests and career paths while assimilating into the broader culture. And they should challenge any of their children's conspiracy theories.

Allamagan Abdullahi, who said he attends Ohio State University, said most Somali youths try to assimilate, but it is not easy.

Often, they're taunted for the way they dress and speak, said Abdullahi, who arrived here in 2006.

"I got into fights every day," said Abdullahi, who attended Mifflin and Northland high schools.

Hawaz said mainstream society must play a role by accepting Muslims in the community.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Peters said local Somali leaders asked federal officials to bring speakers in to talk about extremists and recruiting.

"We are very much concerned," said Farah Ali, executive director of Community Care and Youth Development.

As far as authorities know, no one has been recruited from the Columbus area. But about 20 young men, all but one of Somali descent, left Minnesota between December 2007 and October 2009 to join al-Shabab, which controls most of the south and central part of Somalia.

And in August, 14 people were indicted in Minnesota, Alabama and California on charges related to terrorism for helping al-Shabab.

An indictment in Minnesota said someone from Columbus is an unindicted conspirator who helped one of those charged in collecting money and forwarding it to al-Shabab.

Some Somalis were fearful of attending last night's meeting, Ali said. The FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Columbus police had representatives in attendance.

"If you work with the FBI, Homeland Security, you're labeled as a snitch," Ali said.

mferenchik@dispatch.com

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

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