Forty young Somali men from the Twin Cities are missing and federal investigators believe they may be back in Somalia training as terrorists.

"We have active Al Qaeda cells recruiting these people," said Omar Jamal with the Somali Justice Advocacy Center.

Federal law enforcement sources told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS they believe Shirwa Ahmed, from Minneapolis, was a suicide bomber who blew himself up during an attack in northern Somali last month. They also believe he was a recruiter in the Twin Cities for a terrorist network.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS talked to Ahmed's family. They said they have not heard from him in weeks.

"The bottom line is there are people who are recruiting here, kids who are being brainwashed to go back there and blow themselves up. That is the bottom line to this story," explained Jamal.

CIA Director Michael Hayden acknowledges a growing tie between Al Qaeda and Somali terrorist groups. Federal investigators believe these missing men are training for terrorist attacks overseas, but can't be sure they won't return the Twin Cities someday to carry out an attack.