San Diego Men Arraigned On Charges Of Aiding Somali Terrorists

Three San Diego men accused of aiding a Somali terrorist group with ties to Al Queda have pleaded not guilty. They're accused of sending money and providing support to al-Shabab. One is a popular Imam at a City Heights mosque another works as a cab driver and the third is a former Somali community leader. We speak to KPBS investigative reporter Amita Sharma who has been following the story.

Guest

KPBS Investigative Reporter, Amita Sharma

Transcript

THREE SAN DIEGO MEN ARE IN FEDERAL CUSTODY CHARGED WITH CONSPIRING TO PROVIDE MATERIALS SUPPORT INCLUDING MONEY TO A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. AND CONSPIRING TO KILL IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY. SOMALIA-BASED IS LINKED WITH AL QAEDA. FEDERAL AGENTS ARRESTED THE MEN THIS WEEK FOLLOWING A LEARJET THINK INVESTIGATION. --A LENGTHY INVESTIGATION. WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS STORY. AND SHE JOINS ME NOW. WHO ARE THE MEN FROM SAN DIEGO WHO HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH SUPPORTING AL QAEDA?

Reporter: WELL, THE THREE M EN, A CAB DRIVER BUT HE IS ANALYZED CITIZEN AND THE SECOND MAN --NATURALIZED CITIZEN, AND THE THIRD MAN IS, HE USED TO WORK FOR A MONEY EXCHANGE OR MONEY TRANSFER BUSINESS. WHICH OPERATED IN SAN DIEGO.

I TALKED ABOUT ONE. WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?

IT'S AN INSURGENT GROUP THAT CONTROLS MUCH OF SOMALIA IS IS SEEKING TO TOPPLE THE WEAK GOVERNMENT THERE. IT HAS BEEN GRANTED TERROR GROUP BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. IT HAS PLEDGED ITS ALLEGIANCE TO AL QAEDA. AND THREATENED TO ATTACK THE U.S. IT HAS RECRUITED HEAVILY FROM THE U.S. IN TERMS OF FIGHTERS. NOBODY REALLY BELIEVES THAT IT HAS THE MEANS TO ATTACK THE U .S., BUT THE WORRY IS THAT AL QAEDA COULD EXPLOIT ITS SUPPORT IN THE U.S. FOR DOMESTIC ATTACKS.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SUPPORT, MONEY? RAISED HERE IN SAN DIEGO WHAT EVIDENCE IS THERE THAT MONEY WAS ACTUALLY RAISED HERE?

THE GOVERNMENT SAYS ACCORDING TO FBI INTERCEPTS IN LATE 2007, THE CAB DRIVER HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A GUY WHO WAS A MILITARY COMMANDER. AND IN THAT CONVERSATION, HE ALLEGEDLY TELLS HIM THAT IT IS TIME TO FINANCE THE JIHAD. HE IS ALLEGEDLY HEARD TALKING AT THE MONEY EXCHANGE BUSINESS SAYING THAT WE NEED A DOLLAR A DAY PER MAN FOR THE FORCES. NOW THAT CONVERSATION, HE IS HEARD TALKING TO THE IMAM TELLING HIM TO KEEP BACK 20 TO 30 TRUSTED MEN AT THE MOSQUE TO CONTRIBUTE MONEY FOR THE FORCES. AS HE IS ALLEGEDLY HEARD SAYING THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL MEN HERE WHO ARE WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE MONEY. AND HEARD TALKING ABOUT THE PRICES OF ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADES AND ACCORDING TO TO THE RECORDS, THE AMOUNTS DISCUSSED AMONG THE MEN ARE CONFIRMED BY THE BOOK.

YOU HAVE BEEN COVERING THIS STORY FOR A LONGTIME, FOLLOWING IT, AND YOU DID ATTEND THE ARRAIGNMENT AND THEN A COURT HEARING THIS MORNING. SO WHAT HAPPENS DURING THOSE MOMENTS IN COURT?

WELL, ALL THREE MEN HAVE PLEADED INNOCENT. I MEAN, THEY HAVE PLEADEDDED NOT GUILTY. --HAVE PLEADED NOT GUILTY. ONE OF THE MEN HAS FORE FITTED HIS RIGHT THE ASK FOR BAIL. THERE'S GOING TO BE A HEARING NEXT WEEK TO SEE IF THE OTHER TWO MEN QUALIFY FOR BAIL.

IT'S EXPECTED THAT MORE PEOPLE FROM SAN DIEGO MAY BE IMPLICATED?

ACCORDING TO GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS, THESE THREE MEN HAD BETWEEN 20, POSSIBLY 30 CO- CON SPIRITTERS. IT'S NOT KNOWN IF THEY ARE HERE IN SAN DIEGO OR ELSEWHERE. SOME OF THEM ARE KNOWN TO THE GOVERNMENT AND SOME ARE NOT. I SPOKE TO MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TODAY AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY SCARED. THEIR FEAR IS THAT THERE ARE GOING TO BE MORE ARREST. THEY BELIEVE THAT THESE THREE MEN ARE INNOCENT. ONE OF THE MEN, THE IMAM IS QUITE BELOVED WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. HE IS SEEN AS A LEADER. ONE GUY WHO IS A COLLEGE STUDENT TOLD ME THAT THIS GUY, THIS IMAM LURED PEOPLE AWAY FROM DRUGS AND GANGS IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO THESE PEOPLE THAT YOU SPOKEN TO, WHAT DID THEY SAY ABOUT SAN DIEGO CONNECTIONS?

WELL, YOU KNOW, THEY DENY THAT THERE'S ANY CONNECTION TO THE TERRORIST GROUP. THEY SAY, LOOK, WE ARE REFUGEES, WE ESCAPED VIOLENCE. WE CAME TO ESCAPE VIOLENCE. WE ARE PEACEFUL PEOPLE. WE JUST WANT DO COME HERE AND MAKE A GOOD LIFE FOR OUR FAMILIES.

AND SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? WHERE THERE BE A TRIAL?

WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE MIGHT BE MORE INDICTMENTS. AND THERE IS THIS HEARING NEXT WEEK IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WILL TRY TO ARGUE THAT THESE MEN SHOULD NOT BE LET OUT ON BAIL BECAUSE THEY POSE A FLIGHT RISK AND AIDING TORE THE COMMUNITY.

I THINK THERE'S ONE ASPECT THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT AND THAT IS, WAS THERE ACTIVE RECRUITMENT IN THIS COMMUNITY?

THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION. THAT IS A HUGE UNKNOWN. THESE ARE MEN WHO HAVE BEEN IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR A VERY, VERY LONGTIME. THEY DID NOT COME INTO INTO EXISTENCE UNTIL 2006. THEIR ARRIVAL IN THIS COUNTRY PREDATES THAT. SO THE QUESTION IS, IF THEY ARE INDEED GUILTY OF WHAT IS BEING ALLEGED, HOW DID THEY GET RECRUITED? WHO DID THE RECRUITING?

I AM SURE YOU WILL TELL US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.