Lewiston Somalis May Be Recruiting Targets
Somali Community Leaders in U. S. Concerned By Recruiting Reports
Oct 17, 2009
Adaption to a new country is difficult, but most recent Somali immigrants to the United States haven't angrily joined terrorist groups out of anger and frustration.
That's why so many in Minneapolis' Somali community were surprised earlier this year when Ruben Shumpert, aka. Amir Abdul Muhaimeenbut, joined the Somali jihadist group Al Shabaab.
Somali-American leaders warn that recruiting could be taking place in any city where there is a significant Somali population. In March, Osman Ahmed told a Senate committee that security officials need to keep watch on major cities like Minneapolis, Seattle, Cleveland and Boston.
Long-time Boston resident, businessman, and Somali immigrant Abdillahi Abdirahman believes that economic realities could frustrate young Somali men and make them targets.
Mr. Abdirahman emigrated from Somalia in the mid 1980s, earned a college degree and became a U. S. citizen. He owns the Butterfly Coffee Shop in Boston, a hangout and gathering place for the Boston Somali community. The Boston Businessman emphasizes that he doesn't know if any of Boston’s young Somali men are targets, “We are a tight community here and we take care of one another. We make sure there is no opportunity for the clerics to recruit here.”
The Maine Somalis
Yet the Somali community in Lewiston, Maine is another story. The culture shock may be too much for the recent arrivals, “The Somalis in Lewiston are the newer Somali immigants. They came here after the Americans left Somalia and they’re caught between two worlds,” Mr. Abdirahman explained.
Residents of Lewiston, Maine's Somali community are divided on whether they believe recruiting is taking place in their ranks.
3-1 Coffee Shop manager Omar Abdul suspects the recruiting is taking place and says that the economy and the adjustment process is a major reason Lewiston's young Somali men being easy targets.
Attracted by the picture-book appearance of Lewiston, Maine, Omar Abdul came to the United States five years ago.
Mr. Abdul says the jihadist first uses the young man’s cultural allegiances, “The jihadist can use the people’s different ideologies. If the Somali has a lack of religion they are blindly following the recruiter’s words.”
“They may not follow scripturally, but culturally. The (young Somalis) stick to their belief culturally and may not be persuaded scripturally,” Mr. Abdul explained. “They (young Somali recruits) have different religious practices. Even though there is commonality (as Somalis), they are different.”
Store owner Said Mohamut wouldn’t go as far as Mr. Abdul, preferring to avoid saying if he knows if the recruiting is happening.
Mr. Mohamut says Somalis in Lewiston left the big cities for a reason, “Many of our Somalis came to America to get away from the killing in the civil war. So they came to Lewiston to get away from what was happening in the big cities like Minneapolis and Seattle or Cleveland.”
“So we don’t know about the recruiting now. We are not connected in the big cities,” Mr. Mohamut added.
The potential for jihad recruiting in Lewiston has caught the attention of the Boston FBI office and they have been in contact with the Lewiston Somali community. For security purposes, the FBI will neither confirm nor deny if they have opened an investigation into claims of recruiting in Lewiston.
Back to the City
Yet it's the big cities that are the frequent places where Somali immigrants relocate. As in most population groups, the young are hit the hardest.
“Unemployment is a major problem because language and education are a major problem,” Mr. Abdirahman explains. “They feel the difference in the cultures and they also feel the pull of the old ways. Their anger is easy to exploit.”
Mr. Abdirahman added that his Somali Development Center is doing its part, "We have programs and activities to reach out to the teenagers and young adults. We hope this will prevent anyone from exploiting any anger or weaknesses in the community."
At this point, no suspects have been firmly identified. The FBI will only confirm that they are keeping a watch on the situation.
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