King Statement on Somalia Support for Radicalization Hearings

Statement

Today, U.S. Rep. Peter T. King (R-NY), Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, had a telephone conversation with Somali Foreign Minister Mohammed Ibrahim who is in New York for the opening of the United Nations General Assembly. Omar Jamal, the First Secretary for the Somali mission to the United Nations, also participated in the conversation. Following their conversation Congressman King issued the following statement on Somali government support for the series of hearings he began in March on radicalization within the Muslim-American community:

"Today, Somali Foreign Minister Mohamed Ibrahim telephoned me to express his government's full support for the series of radicalization hearings I convened in March.

"Foreign Minister Ibrahim emphasized that Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali joins in supporting the hearings, two of which focused on al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist organization based in Somalia that has radicalized dozens of Muslim-American young men in Minneapolis and other cities, recruiting them to travel to Somalia to fight. U.S. intelligence officials say al-Shabaab poses a threat to the U.S. homeland, which must be thwarted. Foreign Minister Ibrahim and First Secretary Omar Jamal assured me of their government's full support and cooperation in my hearings.

"This important endorsement is the latest in support for these critical hearings. Last week, a national Secure America Now poll showed that 63 percent of Americans support the hearings and believe "they need to continue because they are providing information which is valuable and important to stop terrorism in the United States.'"

Congressman King's next radicalization hearing is expected to be held in late October.

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