by Mark Ferenchik
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Islamic radicalism and the threat of young Somalis being lured to fight for extremist causes usually aren't on the mind of Ilhan Dahir's friends at Hilliard Bradley High School.
"If we talk about it, it's in an intellectual way," said the 18-year-old senior, herself of Somali descent.
But Dahir said that last night's summit on preventing the cultivation of extremism in the Somali community was worthwhile.
Community leaders and youths attending the summit, in the Embassy Suites hotel on the Northeast Side, said that too many young Somalis here are falling into crime or dropping out of school, at risk of becoming alienated and perhaps enticed by the lure of extremist groups such as al-Shabab, which has taken over broad areas of Somalia and has ties to al-Qaida.
Source: Columbus Dispatch