Terrorism trial zeros in on Islamic State recruiting

MINNEAPOLIS — Titles of Islamic State propaganda videos flashed across the screens positioned in front of the 16 jurors — “Flames of War,” “Upon the Prophetic Methodology,” “Changing of the Swords 4.”

Women dressed in abayas — family members of the defendants — partially filled the gallery as prosecutors vowed to show how a group of young men from Minneapolis’ large Somali American community were radicalized by Islamic State propaganda videos and Anwar al-Awlaki lectures and formed plans to leave the U.S.

Mohamed Abdihamid Farah, Abdirahman Yasin Daud and Guled Ali Omar face charges of conspiring to commit murder outside the U.S. and providing material support to a terrorist organization by joining Islamic State.

The case is likely to be presented as an example for how Islamic State propaganda strikes young Muslim men like a contagion — spreading through friends and relatives who have gone off to fight for the militant group.