Andrew Liepman, the deputy-director of the National Counter-Terrorism Center, told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on March 11 that Al-Qaeda was recruiting Somalis near Minneapolis, WorldTribune.com.

reports. Liepman also said that these recruits have traveled to Somalia for training by al-Shabaab, a terrorist group linked to Al-Qaeda.

"We cannot rule out that potential given the indoctrination and training they might have received in East Africa," he said. "They are going to Somalia to fight for their homeland, not to join Al Qaida's jihad against the United States, so far."

Liepman stated that "tens" of Somalias in the U.S. have been recruited by Al-Qaeda to fight in Somalia. The Los Angeles Times reports that Liepman testified that there is no credible evidence that the recruits have been ordered to come back to the U.S. to carry out acts of terrorism.

In December, one such recruit, Shirwa Ahmed, carried out a suicide bombing in Somalia, becoming the first American citizen to commit such an act. WorldTribune.com added that the Ahmed's uncle said his nephew was recruited in a mosque and dropped out of high school to go to Somalia without informing his parents. Ahmed claimed that his uncle went to Somalia out of a desire to be part of an Islamic state, but was then forced into joining the terrorist group.

"Our children had no clue they were being recruited to join Al Shabaab. We also heard that when kids arrive, they are immediately shocked at what 'utopia' is and all their documents and belongings are confiscated," Ahmed said. "They are whisked to hidden military camps for training. They are also told if they flee and return home that they will end up in Guantanamo."

Al-Shabaab currently controls southern Somalia. Osama Bin Laden recently released an audio tape calling on Muslims to overthrow the president of Somalia, who once was allied to al-Shabaab.

Ken Menkhaus of Davidson College also testified for the Senate. According to Voice of America News, he argued that al-Shabaab was looked upon by most Somalis as a force fighting against the Ethiopian forces that invaded Somalia and said it is "problematic to label the entire group terrorists." Ethiopian forces withdrew from Somalia in January.

CNN.com reports that there are between 70 and 200,000 Somalis currently living in the United States.

"The Somali-American population is now concentrated in clusters primarily in Minneapolis, Minnesota; Columbus, Ohio; Seattle, Washington; and San Diego, California," the report said.