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Suspects linked to terror probe face federal judge in San Diego

Two 21-year-old Minnesota men who allegedly traveled to San Diego over the weekend for fake passports to travel via Mexico to Syria to support ISIS are due in federal court Monday for arraignment.

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Two 21-year-old Minnesota men, who allegedly traveled to San Diego over the weekend for fake passports to travel via Mexico to Syria to support the terrorist group ISIS, made their initial appearance in federal court Monday and were ordered held without bail.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Crawford informed Abdirahman Yasin Daud and Mohamed Abdihamid Farah that they are charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist group and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

A prosecutor moved for detention on both defendants, alleging they were a danger to the community and were flight risks. A bail hearing was set for Friday in San Diego and an identification/removal hearing was scheduled for April 30.

Daud and Farah were arrested Sunday after allegedly driving from Minneapolis to San Diego to obtain fake passports, according to the criminal complaint.

Arrested in Minneapolis on Sunday were Zacharia Yusuf Abdurahman, Adnan Farah, and Hanad Mustafe Musse, all 19 years old, and Guled Ali Omar, 20.

"The six defendants charged in the complaint allegedly planned to travel to Syria as part of their conspiracy to provide material support to ISIL," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin said.

The administration refers to ISIS as ISIL.

"One of the National Security Division's highest priorities is to identify, disrupt and hold accountable those who provide or attempt to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations," Carlin said.

A seventh person, acting as a confidential human source, told one of the suspects he had obtained a source for forged passports in San Diego, according to the U.S. government. Several of the suspects -- all of whom are of

Somali background -- are accused of providing photos and money for the fake documents.

Daud and Farah were among a group of associates who had tried to or had joined overseas terrorist organizations, according to the complaint. Their arrests on suspicion of conspiring and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization followed a 10-month multiple-agency investigation.

"As described in the criminal complaint, these men worked over the course of the last 10 months to join ISIL," said Andrew Luger, U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota. "Even when their co-conspirators were caught and charged, they continued to seek new and creative ways to leave Minnesota to fight for a terror group."


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