Prosecutor: 3 men persistent in effort to join Islamic State

By Samoa Observer 01 June 2016, 12:00AM

A federal prosecutor says three Minnesota men were intent in their efforts to join the Islamic State group in Syria and knew they would be killing people once they got there.

But defense attorneys for 22-year-old Abdirahman Yasin Daud (Ahb-DEER'-ah-mahn YAH'-sin Dah-OOD') and 22-year-old Mohamed Abdihamid Farah (Mo-HAHM'-ed Ahb-dee-HAHM'-id FAHR'-ah) told jurors during closing arguments on Tuesday that their clients were not part of a conspiracy.

Daud, Farah and 21-year-old Guled Ali Omar (GOO'-led AHL'-ee OHM'-ar) have pleaded not guilty to several charges, including conspiracy to commit murder outside the United States. Omar's attorney is expected to give his closing argument Wednesday morning.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Docherty says the men were "exceptionally persistent" in efforts to join an "exceptionally violent" group. Defense attorneys have attacked the credibility of the government's witnesses.

By Samoa Observer 01 June 2016, 12:00AM
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