Ethiopia sentences 2 accused al-Shabab members to prison

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – Ethiopia says two men accused of trying to establish a cell of the al-Shabab extremist group inside the country have been sentenced to six years in prison.

The state-affiliated Fana Broadcasting Corporate on Friday reported that Bedris Yesuf and Anis Usman were accused of being members of the Somalia-based al-Shabab and recruiting members for an Ethiopia-based cell.

The Ethiopian Federal Attorney General says the men were arrested three years ago while they were planning to carry out a terror attack.

Ethiopia is one of the countries that have sent troops to neighbouring Somalia under an African Union mission against al-Shabab, but in October it withdrew other forces it had sent independently into the country.

Al-Shabab has carried out attacks beyond Somalia’s borders, notably inside Kenya.