2 convicted ISIS recruits from Minnesota denied de-radicalization program

A federal judge has denied the requests of 2 Minnesota men convicted of attempting to join ISIS in Syria to be allowed into a German expert’s de-radicalization program.

Motions filed last week on behalf of Abdirahman Daud and Guled Omar asked U.S. District Judge Michael Davis to consider allowing the men to participate in the program developed by German expert Daniel Koehler, who has has extensive experience with neo-Nazis and other extremists.

The requests were “denied as moot.” Judge Davis wrote the following in his order of denial: “The District of Minnesota U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office has been fully trained in Daniel Koehler’s methods, and the risk assessment will be incorporated into the Presentence Investigation Report prepared by that Office.  Accordingly, there is no need to contract with Daniel Koehler to complete such a study. “

The de-radicalization program was offered to 6 other Minnesota men who pleaded guilty to conspiring to support a foreign terrorist organization. Daud, Omar and Mohamed Farah pleaded not guilty and were convicted by a jury in May.

Farah has not requested participation in the program.

While there are no sentencing dates set for the ISIS suspects, a clerk for Judge Davis told Fox 9 they will likely be sentenced in late fall or early winter, and the sentencings will be held back-to-back over several days.