A 25-year-old Somali man accused by the United States of being a leader of the Al Shabaab militia has been flown to New York for trial after being held by the U.S. Navy for 11 weeks, according to a report in the New York Times.
The Times reported Wednesday that an unnamed U.S. government official had said that Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame was seized by the American military from a fishing boat between Somalia and Yemen on April 19. Other officials told American journalists that Warsame was taken to a U.S. navy ship and questioned for two months by military interrogators.
"Officials gave conflicting accounts of his significance," reported the Times. "One portrayed him as a 'senior operational commander' while another played down his role, saying that his capture was instead important because he had provided large amounts of intelligence about the groups and ties between them."
The newspaper said that during initial questioning, Warsame was not advised of his right to silence under U.S. criminal law because his interrogators were "seeking to gather intelligence, not court evidence". But later, a different group of law enforcement officers took over and read him his rights. However, officials said he waived his right to remain silent and spoke in the presence of his lawyer.
Warsame faces nine counts arising out of his alleged support for Al Shabaab in Somalia and Al Qaeda in Yemen. The Times said he had fought with Al Shabaab from 2007, and with Al Qaeda from 2007, providing money, training and equipment.
