Terrorism law predates 9/11
by Cathy Wurzer, Minnesota Public RadioSalah Ahmed, one of the two Somali-Americans facing terrorism charges, is expected to appear in federal court in Minneapolis Thursday for a detention hearing. Ahmed and Abdifatah Isse are charged with providing material support to terrorists and conspiring to "kill, kidnap, maim and injure."
The charges are related to an ongoing FBI investigation into what happened to missing Somali men, about 20 of whom were from the Twin Cities. In an interview with MPR News, national security law professor John Radsan explained that the "material support" law predates the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Radsan, who teaches at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, also discussed the rationale for the law, the challenges of proving the charges and the possible penalties.
