Man who joined al-Shabab now being held in Albert Lea

KTTC Rochester, Austin, Mason City News, Weather and Sports

By Taj Simmons
Saturday, February 7, 2015

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ROCHESTER, Minn.-- A man who admitted to leaving the U.S. in 2007 and joining the terror group al-Shabab in Somalia has been released from the Federal Medical Center in Rochester on Thursday, but is still behind bars in Southeast Minnesota.

Abdifatah Yusuf Isse left the federal medical facility after serving two weeks of a three year sentence there. However, Isse was transferred into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at the Freeborn Adult Detention Center in Albert Lea and placed into removal proceedings.

Isse's attorney, Paul Engh, said he's working on resolving the immigration issues.

Isse pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists in 2013. The Robbinsdale man was sentenced to three years in prison, most of which were spent in a North Carolina prison, and 20 years of supervised release. He has credit for time served and good time.

Isse's three year sentence came after he and three other recruiters cooperated with authorities and testified against a fourth man, who was imprisoned for twelve years. At his sentencing hearing, Isse said he was "really sorry he went back to Somalia" and promised to "never be in trouble again."

Isse was among at least 22 young Somali men who left Minnesota since 2007 to join al-Shabab.

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