U.S. attorney: Community connections key to fighting extremist recruitment

The recent terror attacks in Paris by French citizens affiliated with a terrorist organization are renewing law enforcement agencies' focus on attempted terrorist recruitment in the state.

Law enforcement officials say Minnesota is a hotbed of recruitment attempts. A number of young Minnesotans were recruited in recent years to fight with militants in Somalia or Syria.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger said law enforcement officials have built a strong relationship with the Somali-American community since the first signs emerged that young people were being wooed by militants overseas.

"When I became U.S. Attorney, the community asked for certain things, primarily to step up our efforts and direct them more at the causes of radicalization," Luger said. "We were now ready to take the next step, which is look at the root causes and to also look at ways of conducting early intervention when someone might be thinking about becoming radicalized."

Law enforcement officers are keeping tabs on Minnesota residents who may have joined militant groups oveseas to ensure they don't return and launch a terror attack locally.

"Not a lot are returning," Luger said. "It's really a bait and switch, they're told they're going to live this idylic life and join in this great fight, and what happens is they're often killed very early on or putinto the front lines and they're not treated very well."

On Feb. 18, Luger and other law enforcement partners will discuss methods to prevent radicalization at a summit at the White House.