Gambians converge on MN to back alleged plotter

Supporting Papa Faal
Yero Jallow of Robbinsdale led a group of protesters outside the U.S. District Court building in downtown Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 8, 2015.
Jeffrey Thompson / MPR News

A federal magistrate judge on Thursday ruled that a Brooklyn Park man charged with trying to overthrow the Gambian government in West Africa should remain in custody, much to the dismay of those who consider him a freedom fighter.

Federal prosecutors say 46-year-old Papa Faal helped ship guns overseas and was part of a group of about a dozen men who tried, but failed, to overthrow the sitting president.

A few days after the Dec. 30 attempted coup, Faal described his actions to authorities at the U.S. embassy in the neighboring West African country of Senegal.

Papa Faal
Papa Faal, 46, has been charged with conspiring to violate the Neutrality Act.
Courtesy of the Nigerian News

Prosecutors charged Faal with conspiring to violate the Neutrality Act, which bars U.S. citizens from taking part in or funding military action against a country not at war with the United States. He is also charged with conspiring to possess firearms to commit violence.

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But some in Minnesota's Gambian community say Faal's actions were justified.

Before Faal's detention hearing on Thursday, more than a dozen Gambians gathered outside the courthouse, to protest the charges. They held signs supporting Faal and condemning the U.S. government for not taking a strong stance against Gambian President Yahya Jammeh, who seized power of the West African nation in a 1994 coup.

Pa Modou Ann, of Maple Grove, said Jammeh is a dictator who has become more dangerous over time.

"It has been ratcheting up in terms of Draconian tendencies toward the people — stifling of rights, stifling of freedoms," Ann said. "I believe the Gambian people are yearning for democracy and freedom."

Other Faal supporters flew in from Atlanta, Las Vegas, Germany and the United Kingdom for the hearing.

Sharing a hug
Sainabou Cons Phall of Las Vegas, Nev. receives a hug as she joins a group of protesters outside the U.S. District Court building in Minneapolis, Minn.
Jeffrey Thompson / MPR News

Gambians want regime change in their homeland, said Sam Phatey of Atlanta, who hosts an Internet radio show.

Phatey said many people support Faal's actions and are paying close attention to his case.

"Everybody is looking at them like they are the biggest heroes," Phatey said, "which they are to every Gambian American, or to every Gambian, right now."

In court, Faal's attorney, Andrew Mohring, argued that his client is a pillar in the Gambian community in Minnesota. He described him as a dedicated family man as well as a U.S. Army and Air Force Veteran.

Federal Magistrate Judge Franklin Noel sided with prosecutors, ordering that Faal remain in custody to ensure he appears at future hearings, and does not attempt to return to Gambia to finish the job.

Federal prosecutors declined to comment on the hearing.

Former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger said he understands the frustrations of Gambians who feel their plight is being ignored. But he said federal law makes it clear that people in the United States are not authorized to ship weapons and plot to overthrow a government.

"If you allow Americans to pick and choose which governments they like and don't like, there would be no consistency within the United States for our military policies and strategies," Heffelfinger said. "The United States would therefore essentially have individual citizens dictating the policies of our national government."

Faal's brother, Yunus Hydara, worries for his brother, but said he understands the motivation to overthrow Jammeh. Hydara believes Jammeh will hold onto power as long as he pleases.

"We are desperate right now because he controls everything," said Hydara, a 32-year-old student who lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. "The electoral commission cannot do anything. He'll tell them what to do. So what else ... what options do we have? There's nothing, absolutely nothing."