Sentencing recommendations filed for Minnesota ISIS suspects

(KMSP) - The prosecution and the defense teams submitted their recommendations for the sentencing of nine Minnesota men accused of trying to join ISIS. The deadline for submitting the recommendations was Thursday night.

For the young men who pleaded guilty, prosecutors are recommending leniency with sentences of 15 years in prison.

For two cooperating witnesses, Abdirizak Warsame and Abdullahi Yusuf, prosecutors are recommending 54 months and 42 months in prison, respectively.  

But for the three men who went to trial and were found guilty of conspiracy to provide material support to a terror group and conspiracy to commit murder outside the United States, the prosecutors recommended longer sentences. They requested 30 years in prison for Mohamed Abdihamid Farah and Abdirahman Yasin Daud and 40 years for Guled Omar.

The defense pushed for lighter sentences, saying the young, immigrant men were caught between two worlds – the United States and pride in their Somali heritage. The defense argued the young men were lured by propaganda on the internet that suggested that a “true Muslim” should be in Syria saving other Muslims who are being killed and trying to restore the Caliphate. 

The following is a list of recommendations, pertaining to each defendant:

Mohamed Abdihamid Farah: Prosecution requested 30 years in prison and lifetime of supervised release.

Abdirahman Yasin Daud:  Prosecution requested 30 years in prison, lifetime of supervised release.

Guled Omar:  Prosecutors requested 40 years in prison. Defense requested 15 years.

Hanad Mustafe Musse:  Prosecution requested 15 years imprisonment, and lifetime of supervised release.  Defense requested 72 months. 

Adnan Abdihamid Farah: Prosecution requested 15 years imprisonment and lifetime of supervised release.

Hamza Naj Ahmed:  Prosecution requested 15 years of imprisonment and lifetime of supervised release. Defense requested half-way house, also has motion to seal sentencing report.

Zacharia Yusuf Abdurahman:  Prosecution requested 15 years prison and lifetime of supervised release.

Abdirizak Mohamed Warsame:  A cooperating defendant, prosecutors recommended 54 months in prison.

Abdullahi Mohamed Yusuf:  A cooperating defendant, prosecutors recommended 42 months in prison.