What Is Going On In Minnesota? [Guest Columnist: Jonathan Youssef]

Guest Columnist: Jonathan Youssef is the International Director of Leading The Way Ministries (You can follow him on twitter @youssefjm)

Many know about the prominent Arab population in Michigan, particularly in Dearborn, but how many of you know about the sizeable Somali population in Minnesota?

Recently a 21 year-old man from Minnesota by the name of Abdisalan Hussein Ali was reported missing by his mother and cousin. He is believed to have involvement in the bombing of an African Union base in Mogadishu, Somalia that took place last Saturday.

After reading this article, I began to wonder why a young man with a promising future here would travel back to his home country to commit murder/suicide. What chains were holding this young man in a prison that he could not escape? Why did he feel like his only choice was killing innocent people in a country he had not spent much time in?

The group Ali has been linked with is known as “Al-Shabab”, which means “the boys” or “the youth”. This group is a splinter cell of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) and practices its own strict version of Islam. They intend to wage jihad on all non-Muslims, and have roots that stretch from Mogadishu to the United Kingdom to Minneapolis.

How long will it be until this group turns its attention to the United States? Yes, they have been primarily focused on sending their agents to Somalia to commit these acts, but if their objective is to wage jihad on non-Muslims, it is logical to believe one day this will take place here, too.

Our response should not be fear or anxiety.  Rather, our response should be three-fold. First, the government whose duty it is to protect its citizens should keep a close eye on this group and its affiliates. Second, as Americans, we need to understand the threat that these groups pose. The root of this thinking is not unique to the country of Somalia, it is from the religion of Islam.  Third, as Christians we need to understand that there is only one thing that can move people from darkness to light and unshackle them from the chains of hate, it is the love of Jesus Christ and it needs to be proclaimed from the churches, from the radio stations, and from our own mouths.

Comments

[Paul R]

Very good Jonathan. You have learned well and I appreciate you. This is a timely message and needs to be read by one and all.

[Angela Harding]

Yes we need to pay attention to the revelation of this one man's journey. You say his mother and cousin reported him missing. Where was his father? Al-Shabab sound like a group in need of a Father. Father God forgive us that we have not valued fathers in the development of sons. We are all guilty. All like sheep have gone astray. Even you fathers who have honoured your wives and children were you not being called to be a kinsman redeemer to a fatherless boy? Lord have mercy on us all. Must we pay for Abraham's mistake forever. Will you send Ishmael's sons to destroy us? Jesus you are Lord of all. Come to the aid of Somalia.
Lord now I fear more bloodshed with Kenyans dying in this fight as they try to protect their tourist industry.
Thank God that Jesus is Lord of my life

[abey]

Spirit is the basis of life. For this matter Christians should be concerned more about Spiritul matters & moral decays, more than physical & political matters. The key to understanding the revelations of GOD lies in the moral issues. America under AngloAmericanism through Obama & the democrats are become a great concern in these issues.