Sunday, September 28, 2014
There have been unconfirmed reports that as many as 15 young people, including young women, have left the Twin Cties to join the terrorist group. Doulgas Macarthur McCain, the only confirmed U.S. citizen to die fighting for ISIS, attended Robbinsdale High School in the late 1990’s.
Abdirizak Bihi, whose nephew was recruited to fight with a terror group in Somalia in 2008, is one of the organizers of the Sunday meeting.
“We want to show the community that we have been combating recruitment by ISIS or by al-Qaeda or by al-Shabab for a long time just by our selves,” he said.
Bihi said he’s concerned about the quantity of negative comments toward the Somali-American community and a lack of recognition of the local community’s work. Bihi has long advocated for after-school programs, job training and other activities that he says will counter radical messages and give at-risk youth a sense of empowerment.
Bihion came onto WCCO Sunday Morning with Esme Murphy to talk about the needs of the Somali-American community.
He also spoke about his reaction to his nephew’s death at the hands of al-Shabab.
“It’s been difficult and devastating for our family,” he said. “When the families get the bad news from Somalia or Syria that their daughter or son has been killed, it’s the most devastating times for the families. It drives havoc in our community.”
The town hall meeting will run from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday night at the Brian Coyle Center in South Minneapolis.
The meeting is open to the public and Bihi expects at least 200 people to attend.