SEATTLE, Wash. -- These have been trying times for Puget Sound Somalis. The Seattle-area has the fourth largest Somali population in the country.
Somali Americans are trying to cope with the bad press related to the arrest of a Somali teen, who is accused of plotting to bomb a Portland tree lighting ceremony.
"In general, our community is feeling scared, afraid," said Hamdi Abdulle, who heads the Somali Youth and Family Club south of Seattle.
“We're not only worried about terror and stuff like that, we're also worried about drugs, dropouts, being behind," she said. “All the things that any mother can be worried about.”
Some Somalis have said they are troubled to hear about young American Somalis being radicalized. But they're also worried about increased scrutiny from the FBI, the media and fellow citizens.
"We have nothing to hide,” said Abdulle. “We want to be watched if we are doing something wrong."
Somali immigrants already face an uphill struggle, learning about cultural differences and the English language.
In addition to the Portland bomb plot, several other high-profile Northwest terror cases have put Somalis in an unwanted spotlight.
Fugitive Ruben Shumpert fled Seattle and is believed to have been killed fighting with extremists in Somalia.
Roosevelt high graduate Abdifatah Isse pleaded guilty, last year, to supporting the same overseas terror organization.
Local Somalis worry that someone might take out their anger on innocent community members.
"We're all Americans," said Abdulle.
Leaders of several local Somali organizations have been meeting over the past couple of days. They said they are trying to coordinate a response to these terror cases and will have more to say on the issue soon.
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