Twin City Terrorists: Who Are They and is it a Significant Problem

Ian Tuttle, in his article “Twin City Terrorists: A Community Reacts to Its Jihadi Sons and Daughters” published in the Nation Review on November 3, 2014, discusses about terrorists in the Somali community in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sometimes he could not talk to local Somalis because he was white.  They thought he might be a spy. But even with this problem he was able to talk to Somali’s with many different ideas about the “terrorist” problem in Minnesota.

The author research goes back to 2007 when 23 Somali Minnesotans joined al-Sahbaab, an al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group.  And recently 18 Somali Minnesotan’s joined ISIS and went to fight in Syria. Tuttle said that ISIS borrowed some of al-Shabaab’s recruiting ideas by using social media to glorify terrorism. Tuttle thinks few jobs and how Somalis are treated in Minnesota help ISIS recruit.  He quoted a Somali member of the Minneapolis School Board “For instance “What does the future look for me [Somali youth]?  Who cares for me?”  Many local Somali leaders believe improving helping programs can stop this.  Tuttle repeat Amano Dube, director of the Brian Coyle Community Center …” If we have … programs like that, no one will choose negativity.” However, there are different ideas of how significant terrorist recruiting local Somalis is.  He also quotes Sheikh Ahmad who heads a local mosque in an article in the Tusmo Times “If you are radical, go somewhere else.  Don’t come to the masjid [mosque] …” But others like Abdirizak Bihi was made an outcast because he accused a local Somali group of not helping the FBI. And last, whether they are liberal or conservative, Somalis in Minneapolis are serious Muslims.  Tuttle cites two examples of Somali’s refusing to perform certain work because it involved something against Islam.  

Tuttle ends with a good question:  Ayaan Hirsi a local Somali recently asked a panel “How do you extend your social solidarity to people who don’t want it?”  The panel dodged the question, but can Minnesota and America afford to dodge the question?

Worshipers attend evening prayers during an open house

at the Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center in Minneapolis.

My opinion about the last question is these Somalis should be able to keep their culture and not be forced to Americanize (see right photo). Except they should not be allowed to hurt Americans or go to another county to hurt other people. And I feel more important problem could be hard to fix in the future whether Somalis become more Americanized or they keep their culture.  America was built on immigrants becoming Americans, not by staying what they were when they came here. Anyway, I believe every immigrant group who came to America kept some of their good traditions to join the new culture, but at same time they should respect and appreciate who gave them help. Because we are a family.