A Minneapolis man convicted of threatening an FBI agent was released prior to sentencing Tuesday.
Mohamed Ali Omar, 21, had spent the past seven months in federal detention after he was charged in November. He was convicted in March of threatening federal agents and an interpreter who arrived at his home to interview him about his brother's alleged involvement with terror groups. That brother, Guled Omar, is among several men charged with providing material support to ISIS. He awaits trial. Another brother, Ahmed Ali Omar left to fight in Somalia in 2007.
Chief federal judge Michael Davis said he would postpone sentencing because of a recent U.S. Supreme Court Decision regarding whether intent must be included in jury instructions. Because that case bears similarities to Mohamed Omar's, he wanted to ensure it wasn't a wrongful conviction before sentencing.
Mohamed Omar's attorney, Paul Applebaum, asked for release before sentencing, considering the average sentence for such a conviction is 4-10 months and Omar has been in custody for seven months. Davis agreed, noting that Mohamed Omar seemed sincere in his apology.
Mohamed Omar's sister, Hodan Omar, pressed her hands together and raised them as she wiped her eyes.
"It's been a long journey," she said. "At least we have one home."
Abby Simons • 612-673-4921
