COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A forum organized by central Ohio’s Somali community will explore the roots of crime and radicalization among Somali youth and look for ways to prevent future problems.

The gathering Friday afternoon in Columbus is expected to draw more than 200 people from Ohio and Somali communities in Minnesota and Washington state.

Somali leaders in Ohio and nationally have long been concerned that too many disenfranchised Somali boys leave school and join gangs or in some cases are recruited by overseas terrorist groups.

Local Somali youth and religious leaders will join Homeland Security officials, FBI agents and federal prosecutors to discuss obstacles faced by the youth and ways to overcome them.

SomaliCAN, a Columbus community advocacy group, is sponsoring the event along with the Horn of Africa Community Center.

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