Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Called to Fight
Doualy Xaykaothao
Minneapolis

Somalis hope compassion guides judge in ISIS sentencing

Protestors gather after closing arguments.
Protestors gather after closing arguments in the trial of three Twin Cities men accused of trying to join the ISIS terror group in Syria at the Federal Courthouse in Minneapolis on May 31.
Courtney Perry for MPR News

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

They may turn out to be the most scrutinized judicial sentences in Minnesota history.

Federal Judge Michael Davis is currently weighing the fate of nine young Somali-American Minnesotans who've either pleaded guilty or been convicted of crimes tied to trying to join the ISIS terror group. No sentencing date has been set, but Davis' decisions could reverberate across the world and observers say he faces a tough task.

That's true especially in the judgments against three who were found guilty recently of multiple terror-related crimes, including conspiracy to murder abroad. Those men face life in prison.

Davis has expressed interest in prison programs intended to de-radicalize people who've been lured by ISIS propaganda and some of the men who pleaded guilty have already been evaluated to see if they qualify. But it's unclear how many Davis might send on that path.

Tom Heffelfinger
Tom Heffelfinger
Dan Kraker | MPR News 2012 file

"I suspect that for Judge Davis, this will be one of the hardest sentencings he has had to do," said Thomas Heffelfinger, a former U.S. attorney for Minnesota.

The trial remains an open wound in the Somali community. Some Somali-American leaders say they hope Davis will show compassion given comments by some of the defendants that they never really intended to travel to Syria to fight with ISIS and that their secretly recorded remarks were little more than youthful boasts.

Click on the audio bar above to hear the entire story.