Minnesota Muslim Groups Concerned About Anti-Terror Program

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations says several Muslim organizations in the state are raising concerns about a federal program designed to fight terror recruiting.

About 40 Muslim groups and mosques support a statement that asks the Department of Justice to discontinue the "divisive" initiative in Minneapolis.

The Minnesota program focuses on the Somali community. Dozens of young Somalis have left the state in recent years to join terror groups overseas. Local Somalis say the community-led initiative is needed, but CAIR says focusing on one community raises civil rights concerns.

Similar concerns have been raised in Boston and Los Angeles, which are also participating in the pilot program.

Minnesota's U.S. Attorney's Office is working with a task force led by the Somali community to implement the pilot.