Nine Minnesota men are expected to be sentenced for material support and plot to join the Islamic State in Syria (ISIS).
The nine men are expected to be convicted this week and receive various sentences when their separate hearings begins on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
According to prosecution, the group comprising of friends in Minnesota’s large Somali community began to inspire and recruiting each other to travel to join ISIS in Syria in the spring of 2014. Some succeeded to make their way to Syria but others didn’t.
Nine men were prosecuted with six of them pleading guilty for providing material support to a foreign terrorist group.
The other went to trial and were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder outside U.S.
The prosecution are asking for lengthy sentences citing the terrorism menace orchestrated by the Islamic State group including beheadings and crucifixions.
The prosecution are recommending stiffest sentence; 40 years in prison and supervision for life.
FBI is also probing a case whereby about a dozen people have left Minnesota to join militant groups in Syria in recent years. More than 22 men have joined Al-Shabaab terrorist group in Somalia since 2007. The probe is ongoing.
