Somali women who aided terror group has been released early

U.S. District Judge Michael Davis on Thursday ordered the early release of a 73-year-old Somali American woman whom he sentenced to prison in 2013 for providing aid to al-Shabab, a U.S. designated terrorist organization.

Hawo Mohamed Hassan was scheduled to be released in January 2021, but Davis said in a memorandum that she was eligible for early release under federal sentencing guidelines that cite “extraordinary and compelling reasons” due to medical conditions, including deteriorating health and the threat of COVID-19 in federal prison.

He noted that Hassan has hypertension, hyperlipidemia, osteoarthritis, PTSD, thyroid disorder and possibly prediabetes.

“Defendant argues these medical conditions are recognized risk factors that increase her risk of life-threatening consequences if she is infected with COVID-19,” Davis wrote. He wrote that her age and medical conditions “place her in a high risk category that warrants relief.”

Davis also concluded she was unlikely to reoffend at her advanced age.

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