The unidentified Somali-born Norwegian citizen has been accused of sending at least USD $33,000 to senior commanders of the al-Shabaab rebel movement between August 2007 and February 2008. According to Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten, the indictment states the accused was in contact with the organization and was informed about its actions, which include plans to overthrow the Somali government. The defense counsel for the accused maintains that his client only intended to send money to the Islamic Courts Union and that he did not understand the group had ties to al-Shabaab. The Islamist al-Shabaab movement has been linked to al Qaeda in the past.

Prosecutors in Norway have yet to win a conviction under Norway's anti-terrorism laws, which were passed in response to the 9/11 attacks on the US. In 2008, a Norwegian court acquitted three suspects accused of planning to attack the US and Israeli embassies in Oslo in the first trial under the anti-terrorism law. Norway's anti-terrorism laws have been criticized by the US in the past for being too lenient.

Source: Jurist