Two Gambians charged with trying to overthrow the government of Yaya Jammeh

Cherno Njie    

Papa Faal  

Two Gambians have been accused of violating the U.S. Neutrality Act by making an expedition against a friendly nation from the United States and conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a violent crime, according to an FBI news release.

Cherno Njie, 57, and Papa Faal, 46, both Gambians with dual U,S citizenship are residents of Texas and Minnesota respectively.

Mr. Njie is a prominent Texas businessman while Papa Faal is listed as to have served both in the U.S army and air force.

Violations against the Neutrality Act are a rarely invoked,.  The last time it was invoked was in 2007 when several Laotian businessmen financed similar opposition group against the government of Laos. The charges were dropped and the case never went to court.

The provisions of the Neutrality Act include a fine, maximum prison term of three years or both. Hearings were held in Baltimore, Maryland and Minneapolis, Minnesota for Njie and Faal respectively.  The two individuals will stand trial in Minneapolis Federal court should it reach the trial stage.

Meanwhile, the tyrannical regime of Yaya Jammeh has continued its mass arrests of civilians, namely relatives of those accused of attempting to remove the regime from power.  Checkpoints have been mounted across the country, searching passengers luggage, seizing cell phones to access owners phone book.