US officials have charged 14 people with providing money, personnel and services to the Somali militant group al-Shabab. The charges stem from four separate indictments in the US states of Minnesota, Alabama and California. Concerns about al-Shabab have grown after the group carried out a bomb attack in Uganda.

On Wednesday, a man was charged with attempting to support al-Qaeda and al-Shabab. Prosecutors said Shaker Masri of Chicago had sought to travel to Somalia to join al-Shabab, which the US and UK consider a terrorist group.

'Providing resources'

The indictments unsealed on Thursday, make reference to four specific individuals as well as a group of 10 men charged with providing resources to al-Shabab, which has close ties to al-Qaeda.

In two separate indictments, prosecutors charged Shafik Hammami, a former resident of the US state of Alabama, and Jehad Serwan Mostafa, formerly of California, with providing material support to al-Shabab.
In the District of Minnesota, prosecutors also unsealed an indictment charging Amina Farah Ali and Hawo Mahamed Hassan with providing funds to the Somalia-based militant group. Both defendents, who are naturalised citizens were arrested on Thursday.

The two are accused of having raised money in Somali communities around the US and Canada, telling people the funds would help the poor and needy in Somalia.

Prosecutors in Minnesota also charged 10 men with terrorism offences for leaving the United States to join al-Shabab - seven of them have been previously charged.

"The indictments unsealed today shed further light on a deadly pipeline that has routed funding and fighters to the al-Shabab terror organisation from cities across the United States," US Attorney General Eric Holder said in a news conference.

He said the latest charges reflected a growing trend in the US - one which leaders of Muslim communities were trying to help the authorities address.

Officials believe up to 50 US citizens may be fighting with al-Shabab in Somalia, according to NBC News. Some of these individuals are believed to be from Minneapolis, Minnesota and Columbus, Ohio.