Eagan Man Connected To ISIS Ties Appears On 60 Minutes
A Minnesota man spoke out Sunday about how he became a convicted terrorist.
Abdirizak Warsame, 21, pleaded guilty to conspiring to help the Islamic State earlier this year. He's one of 11 young Twin Cities men charged in the case.
Warsame will be sentenced next month and faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. Warsame was released from jail for one day to sit down with CBS Evening News anchor and "60 Minutes" correspondent Scott Pelley.
The exclusive interview aired Sunday on 60 Minutes. In it, Warsame opened up about how he became the leader of an ISIS cell right here in Minneapolis.
"The reason I wanted to go to Syria was I felt like it was my duty. I felt like it was something that I had to do," Warsame said. "And if I didn't do it, I would be basically a disgrace to God. I would be a disgrace to the world. I would be a disgrace to my family."
Warsame said he became radicalized by watching YouTube videos of the infamous American-born cleric Anwar Al-Awlki Warsame was instrumental in helping two friends from Minneapolis, Yusef Jama and Abdi Nur, leave the country to join ISIS.
Both are believed to have died fighting for the terrorist group. Warsame says he feels responsible for their deaths, and calls his actions "shameful."
"And to those young men who are watching those same videos right now today? You say what?" Pelley asked Warsame.
Warsame: "I say it's not worth it. It's not worth your family going through all the pain and suffering just because you believe in something that is total nonsense. That doesn't make sense. It's not worth your life.
Scott Pelley: You watched those videos to change your life. And they have?
Warsame: "Correct."
