Phone calls allegedly hint at terrorism suspect's loyalties

[Valin]

St. Paul Pioneer Press :

David Hanners
10/06/2011

Although her Somali homeland was overwhelmed by famine, hunger and poverty, Amina Farah Ali was set in her idea of who should get the donations of money she raised, prosecutors say.

"Who has the priority? Let the civilians die. Sister, let the civilians die," the Rochester, Minn., woman allegedly told her friend and co-defendant, Hawo Mohamed Hassan, in an October 2008 phone call.

"When a fatwa is issued with regard to this question, which one gets the priority: the poor civilian man, who is dying of natural causes, or the man who stands up for Islam?" she asked.

(Snip)

[Valin]

Joe Soucheray: This is Minnesota, not Somalia, so stand up and be grateful

Joe Soucheray

10/08/2011

 

In the middle of last week, Amina Farah Ali decided to stand in court when she heard the words "all rise.'' It was the third day of her trial in Minneapolis. She and Hawo Mohamed Hassan, both of Rochester, are accused of conspiracy to provide material support to al-Shabaab, a terrorist gang in Somalia.

 

Ali had racked up 100 days in jail for contempt of court before deciding, apparently, that standing wasn't so out of the realm of possibility after all. She had told Chief U.S. District Judge Michael Davis that her religious beliefs didn't require her to stand for anybody, not even the Prophet Muhammad, citing Hadith, or supplements to the Quran that provide examples of how Muslims are expected to act in daily life.

 

 

(Snip)

 

Now, I realize that Ali is accused of a serious crime, and I am not suggesting that she come into the courtroom singing and dancing and blowing kisses to the jury. No, a trial is a sobering experience, but why she would have behaved so churlishly and with such contempt when she is, in so many ways, so fortunate to even be here is what I don't understand.

 

Or, more accurately, why wouldn't Muhammad want her to be, if not gracious, at least grateful? Would she prefer to be on trial for something, anything, in Somalia?