A group of elders in the Minneapolis Somali community say they want to make clear _ they do no support the terror group they say is responsible for "sinister" acts of recruiting young Americans to fight in Somalia.

The elders met with an FBI agent yesterday to keep an open dialogue with law enforcement. It gave the elders a chance to ask questions and gave the FBI a chance to educate the group.

Supervisory Special Agent E.K. Wilson says he listened to the elders’ concerns about al-Shabab, gangs and other issues affecting Somali youth, and explained that the FBI is there to protect their children.

The FBI has increased its outreach efforts in the community after about 20 young Somalis left Minneapolis in recent years to fight with al-Shabab. The U.S. has declared al-Shabab to be a terrorist group with ties to al-Qaida.