Moms Of Men In ISIS Trial Criticize Jury's Lack Of Diversity

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Opening statements began Wednesday in a Minnesota terrorism trial involving three young Somali-American men accused of trying to join ISIS.

Day three of the federal terrorism trial began with a judge reading the indictment against the defendants, giving the jury of 16 instructions and then moving to opening statements.

The Minneapolis men are charged with trying to join ISIS and conspiring to travel overseas to commit murder for the terror group. The murder charge carries the possibility of a life sentence.

The court spent Monday and Tuesday selecting a jury, which proved to be difficult. More than two-dozen potential jurors were dismissed. At least ten of them said they had already made up their minds about the defendants, which indicated they believe the men are guilty.

The mothers of all three defendants say they are concerned about the lack of diversity of the all-white jury.

Openings statements began at 11 a.m., during which prosecutors laid out their evidence against the defendants.

The government said the three made plans to participate in killing sprees in Syria and Iraq on behalf of ISIS.

Prosecutors said Guled Omar, Abdirahman Daud and Mohamed Farah met several times between March 2014 and April 2015 to plan how they would travel to Syria to join the Islamic State group.

All three men, from Minnesota's Somali community, have pleaded not guilty.

One of the most severe charges is conspiring to commit murder outside of the United States on behalf of ISIS, which carries the possibility of life in prison.

In opening statements, prosecutors said Omar told the others if he made it to Syria he would share his travel route with other terrorists so they could make it to the states and carry out terrorist acts.

Six other men have already pleaded guilty in this case.

They have said YouTube videos and other radical propaganda attracted them to the terrorist organization.

The tenth defendant is believed to have made it overseas in 2014 and died fighting for ISIS.

The government plans to call more than 24 witnesses. The evidence will include recorded conversations about the defendants' alleged plans. The trial is expected to last four weeks.

The trial resumes Thursday at 9 a.m.