FBI Probe Into Somalis May Be Most Significant Domestic Terrorism Probe Since 9/11

nytimes.com:

The Carlson School of Management rises from the asphalt like a monument to capitalist ambition. Stock prices race across an electronic ticker near a sleek entrance and the atrium soars skyward, as if lifting the aspirations of its students. The school's plucky motto is "Nowhere but here."

For a group of students who often met at the school, on the University of Minnesota campus, those words seemed especially fitting. They had fled Somalia as small boys, escaping a catastrophic civil war. They came of age as refugees in Minneapolis, embracing basketball and the prom, hip-hop and the Mall of America. By the time they reached college, their dreams seemed within grasp: one planned to become a doctor; another, an entrepreneur.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[Retrofuturistic]

I live in one of the cities where about 60,000 Somalians were "planted", even though Al Qaeda was in Somalia. I taught in a school where many Somalians attended. My students would try to look up Osama Bin Laden on the computer all the time, as he was their hero.

The young men, when assigned a seat by a girl, would say, "Get that filthy woman away from me."

Their families, upon arrival, received free rent, free education through college, welfare, and food stamps. Some of the men, who had more than one wife, collected welfare for each wife.

I do feel sorry for displaced refugees, but I also question whether it was wise, in terms of our own security and our own financial health, to take in these people.

[imsosure]

Since they're paying them by the hour now this could take years. years of time just to formulate a plan and then more to organize and implement before really getting into an actual investigation. By then it will ne dated information and the CIa will have become invovled and start all over agian. It'd be funny but in the mean time we'll just have to hope thay can keep up with the criminal elements and at least know where they are holding up........­..........­..

[whoa20]

we must stop the spread of Radical Islam.

[yakaria]

How bout the spread of radical anything.

[imsosure]

that would be too radical

[whoa20]

Radical Islam is the most dangerous radicalism today by far.

[zizyphus]

I am still waiting for an investigation of 911 and why the most heavily defended airspace on earth was allowed to be penetrated.

They will use this as an excuse to further degrade our civil liberties, if that is possible.

[zakon]

Somalia contains mineral deposits and potential oil reserves and had been the site of oil exploration by companies such as Amoco, Chevron and Conoco. Naureckas found that not until six weeks into the 1993 US intervention (Operation Restore Hope) did a journalist for a major media outlet report on the close relationship between Conoco and the US intervention force. This was Mark Fineman of the Los Angeles Times, who wrote:

“Far beneath the surface of the tragic drama of Somalia, four major U.S. oil companies are quietly sitting on a prospective fortune in exclusive concessions to explore and exploit tens of millions of acres of the Somali countryside."

“That land, in the opinion of geologists and industry sources, could yield significant amounts of oil and natural gas if the U.S.-led military mission can restore peace to the impoverished East African nation.” (Fineman, Los Angeles Times, ’The oil factor in Somalia,’ January 18, 1993)

[zakon]

Fineman noted that the close relationship between Conoco and the US military had led many Somalis and foreign development experts to compare the Somalia operation to a smaller version of Operation Desert Storm, the 1991 US-led assault to drive Iraq from Kuwait and to protect Kuwaiti oil reserves:

"‘They sent all the wrong signals when Oakley [the US envoy] moved into the Conoco compound,’ said one expert on Somalia who worked with one of the four major companies as they intensified their exploration efforts in the country in the late 1980s. ‘It's left everyone thinking the big question here isn't famine relief but oil - whether the oil concessions granted under Siad Barre will be transferred if and when peace is restored,’ the expert said. ‘It's potentially worth billions of dollars, and believe me, that's what the whole game is starting to look like.’"

[zakon]

However, I think Bush gave Al Qeada it's first target practice and PR while Clinton was in office "we drove out the Americans". A second Bush would later declare a War on Terror, whose early chapters started in Somalia.

[zakon]

After the Cold War ended, Bush Sr. was facing two policy choices:

A: cut defense spending

B: continue military spending, justified by raising the specter of Islamic fundamentalism.

This brings us to the mystery of Bush Sr.'s invasion of Somalia. Prompted by growing Islamic fundamentalism in the Horn of Africa, was the invasion an attempt to bounce Clinton into a meek confrontation with Islamic fundamentalists (with connections to the militant Islamic network Reagan/Bush nurtured and grew in Afghanistan)?

Did Bush Sr. anticipate that his heir, Bush Jr., would arrive in office ready to take the gloves off and declare war against militant Islam? In other words, did Bush Sr. help create the Frankenstein that Bush Jr. would slay with continued military spending?

[oregonbird]

Yeaah, "domestic" terrorism. Let's pay attention to those "domestics" we can track by skin color -- never mind those thick white anti-choicers who are terrorizing women and health care professionals. I'm sure they haven't done anything lately. Like... provide a murderer with the itinerary of a doctor they've been stalking for decades.

Funny how the woman whose name and phone number was on his car's dashboard hasn't been bothered by the FBI, isn't it? And the organization? Not so much as a premies search. America is Great!

[zakon]

Why did Bush Sr. order troops to Somalia in his last month in office? That guy always had an angle, and none of them were for the sake of hungry blacks.

[laborgrunt]

That is a question that I would love to see the answer too!

[rich3324]

As this thing plays out the FBI will release more evidence of the plot that these Somalis were involved in. And they are involved.

[PoliticalAmazon]

We have domestic terrorism in our own country. Why is the FBI skrewing around with Somalia?

As we have learned from our country's prior involvements in foreign countries, it's always a case of "follow the money."

Oh, that's right. Ships are being threatened by the pirates, some of whom are based in Somalia.

In addition, Somalia's natural resources include uranium and largely untapped deposited of iron ore, tin, gypsum, and copper.

The FBI needs to focus on our own country and sort out the domestic terrorism here. The CIA's job is to skrew up foreign countries so American corporate interests can plunder their natural resources. They don't need the FBI's help on this.

[Cookie100]

I travel to Minneapolis on business each month and have been for the last several years.

The Somali's are the nicest, friendliest and kindest people in what's know as the 'friendly city'.

They would help anyone anytime. Of course I don't know each one, but as a whole, and I have met many, their vibe is one of people who are trying to survive.

These are the professionals of Somali that have been able to come here, the educated. They may have been doctors and teachers in their country, but here they drive cabs and work in hotels. Although I certainly never heard anyone complain, that's me.

Yha'll, there's so much domestic terrorism in the twin cities! Of course, Pawlenty and the FBI raided homes during the Thugs convention in Sept, but those were anti war taxpayers that were arrested for doing absolutely nothing!

[jibril]

Saddest part of all of this,....the Somali community is being blamed even though it was they who called the FBI's attention to what was going on. The community stepped forward in trying to stop it,...Soma­li-America­ns took the initiative.

[TJCole]

Somalis in Minnesota...!

[CR46]

Quite a few Somali's have immigrated to the MPLS/SP area, my daughter has some good friends that have immigrated over.

[hegdehog]

It's about time. Most members of the Somali community here in Minneapolis are good citizens, but over on the West Bank, where the biggest and most isolated community lives, I've witnesses some very troubling scenes. This is a community that, for one reason or another, has mostly chosen to remain separate from the culture at large. We're looking at major problems unless we can find ways to integrate them into the culture. And in many ways, I think we're already too late. The Somali youth are ripe for recruitment. It's an ugly, dangerous scene.

[hegdehog]

A friend of mine--a photographer--was planning on working on a project to photograph some of the more disenfranchised Somali youth in that community. As she got to know some of the people in that community, she was advised that what she was doing was dangerous and that she should stay away from these kids. These weren't Scandahoovian Minnesotans giving her this advice--these were, in many cases, the parents of the kids.

[jibril]

I'm sorry,.. but your whole story is pretty deceiving. I don't thinks its prudent to hang around the "most disenfranchised" of any inner city society and expect to be safe. Try hanging around the most "disenfranchised" latin kings in East harlem or the Bronx. Maybe try taking pictures of MS-13 in Virginia. I'm sure anybody would advise you to stay away from these elements.

The question is,...why are Somalis any different? What you are explaining makes them no different from many other urban communities.

[zizyphus]

She should try taking photos of the local cops and see what happens.

[lessthansign3]

What sorts of troubling scenes have you witnessed? Did you see a Somali man in his Muslim attire walking down the street to the mosque? Oh NOES!

A community of immigrants and refugees from another country living in the same neighborhood and building their own community? Hmm, that's never happened before... The Italians who came to New York sure didn't do that. Neither did the Chinese, or the Mexicans, or the Irish, or all those Germans and Norwegians when they first moved to Minnesota back in the day.

Besides, Cedar-Riverside is a low-income housing project. Any kid who grows up in that situation is in a dangerous place, especially a kid who has grown up in the terrible situation many of these kids have. They are being tugged by their parents and grandparents not to become *too* Americanized, but then people think they aren't "integrating" enough...

Rather than complaining about it, why don't you volunteer there to help tutor people in English? They are always looking for volunteers to help out :) Maybe if you made an effort to show that Americans are not all hateful and bigoted (which I'm sure is the impression many in the Somali community have) they will want to "integrate", whatever that means.

[hegdehog]

Since you seem to know everything about me and whether I have or haven't volunteered in that neighborhood, I suppose you can answer the rest of your questions without my help as well. You probably already know my history as a long-time member of the West Bank community and a former resident of Cedar Square West.

I love it when I don't need to get involved in the conversation because the other person knows it all.

[MNmommy]

It's interesting how housing and neighborhoods change over time.

Cedar-Riverside or now "The Towers" are all public housing now? When I was at the U a million years ago - it was one of the best places to have a "modern" apartment instead of a run-down old one.

I agree with you whole post!

[jibril]

How does the Somali community segregate in a way unique from other immigrant communities? Last I checked,...there were traditional Italian neighborhoods, Irish, Polish, Jewish immigrants all congregated together for community support. The Somali community is still very new,....with most settling between 1995-2000. Usually,..­."assimila­tion" takes a bit longer.

Somalis deserve the benefit of doubt. Plus,...the article specifically says the number of kids who have gone back is very small in the larger context.

[longtimegone]

The headline implies that there was a significant probe into the events of 9/11. There was not. All of this combing the nation for terrorist cells and potential terrorists is diversion; any "terrorists" involved in 9/11 were under the control of elements of our own security apparatus. We've been fed little but lies regarding those attacks; America's wars in the Middle East and Central Asia are possible only through our continuing ignorance. I suspect that most Americans are too frightened to discover what happened, why, and who is now in charge as a result.

[JerryLevy]

Your post is baseless. The Somali community in MN looks to have sent some young people to Somalia to fight. We also have uncovered terrorist cells in NJ and upstate NY. We have found terrorist sympathizers and supporters doing work in the name of charity in Dallas and Tampa. It is hardly a "diversion." Some of the leads have come from the Muslim community itself. My only question is why would we allow people from Somalia to immigrate to our country in the first place.

[confidance government]

"The Somali community in MN looks to have sent some young people to Somalia to fight."

Why wouldn't they send young people to fight to bring about stability to their homeland? Also, by terrorist do you mean Al-Shabab? Sorry to break it to you, but that is the best hope that Somalis have for restoring some sense of law and order back in their country, despite the human rights violations.

Its not the optimal solution, but when viewed from the perspective of a diaspora community, it does make sense.

[longtimegone]

Jerry, you've always been on record as seeing terrorists everywhere. My point was that there are much larger, more powerful evils at work in America and, that they use your fear to divert you. These people helped create al Qaida and the Taliban; they remain a step ahead of the average thinker and three steps ahead of you. You ignored that point.

[MNmommy]

You've never heard the word "refugee"?

We grant them asylum from a war-torn desperate country.

[jibril]

The Somali community didn't "send" anybody. It was a few bad apples that went. The Somali community are the ones who alerted law enforcement to what was going on.

[whitenoise007]

right: inside job; the somalis and taleban really just want what's best for us; the u.s. government is our only enemy; they're controlling us; computer chips, scanners; one world order; obama is a secret muslim, blah blah blah.

[longtimegone]

all I hear is white noise.

[vgirl1]

Why so much visibility on this so called FBI focus / probe and no visibility on any FBI probes on the myriad of white supremist groups who have been ultra vocal on their call for terror in the US, including assassination of the President.?

Not sure if this says more about the news and its coverage or about the FBI.

Either way, something is wrong with this picture.

[hmargret]

maybe the FBI can spend a little time to make sure the bridges are properly inspected & repaired while they're in the area.....more "national security" work.....while the infrastructure fails completely.