Mother of rape victim says her family received death threats from Somali community

The mother of a 12-year-old girl who was raped by a Somali migrant has said her family has received death threats from the Somali community, according to a memo written by state prosecutors.

Earlier this year, Qalinle Ibrahim Dirie was found guilty of first-degree sexual assault after being charged for raping a 12-year-old girl who was playing in her backyard. Dirie, a 42-year-old Somali migrant, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for the crime.

Minnesota law allows Dirie to be released in 2033 and remain on probation for the rest of his sentence. Dirie is currently being held in Minnesota Correctional Facility-St. Cloud and he is required to register as a predatory offender.

Prior to sentencing, prosecutors submitted a memo to the court which asked the judge to impose a sentence of 12 years and deny Dirie’s request for a downward departure from the state sentencing guidelines.

In that memo, prosecutors said Dirie continued to deny that he raped the girl and he also claimed the victim’s mother was “behind everything.” Prosecutors also noted that the crime Dirie committed “is one of the most serious and egregious crimes there is.”

Further, the memo contained a shocking statement about the contents of the Presentence Investigation (PSI), a report used in the sentencing process which contains information from the perpetrator, victim, and others.

“As cited in the PSI, the Victim’s mother also stated that she and her family have been receiving death threats within the Somali community because of this case,” wrote state prosecutors.

Given the nature of the case, the identities of the victim and the victim’s mother are not public. Additionally, Alpha News was informed that the Presentence Investigation Report is not a publicly available document.

As such, no further information about the threats described in the PSI are available. The threats were first reported by the Daily Wire’s Gregg Re.

Prosecutors say Somalis in Minnesota are threatening to murder the mother of a 12-year-old girl who was kidnapped and sexually assaulted by Qalinle Ibrahim Dirie.

“The victim’s mother stated that she and her family have been receiving death threats within the Somali community.” pic.twitter.com/8rnunTLHwD

— Gregg Re (@gregg_re) August 23, 2025

Islamic center wrote ‘community support letter’ for Dirie

After Dirie was convicted, but before he was sentenced, Dirie’s family submitted letters to Judge Michael E. Burns which asked the judge to consider Dirie’s “character” when making a sentencing decision.

“[Dirie] is a deeply good man whose presence enriches the lives of those around him,” said one of the letters. “I respectfully ask that you consider his character, his contributions, and his ongoing potential when making your decision.”

In addition to the letters from family, the Al-Ihsan Islamic Center in St. Paul submitted a “Community Support Letter for Qalinle Dirie” to the judge, as Alpha News first reported.

“We, the undersigned members of the Somali community, write this letter to express our strong and heartfelt support for Qalinle Dirie, a member of our community,” says the letter.

The Islamic center wrote that the convicted felon has faced “the challenge of starting over in a new culture,” and Dirie was known as an outgoing, family-oriented person before “this situation.” The Islamic center said the community has “witnessed his love for his family and kids” and noted that Dirie sends money back to Somalia to support family members.

The letter, which described Dirie as “an active volunteer” at the mosque, was signed by Ahmed Anshur, the executive director of the Al-Ihsan Islamic Center. No other signatures were on the document.

“The situation [Dirie] is currently facing comes as a deep shock to all of us,” concluded the letter. “It does not reflect the man we know — a man whose actions have consistently reflected family and community. We respectfully ask that this letter be considered as a sincere reflection of who Qalinle Dirie truly is. His contributions may not make headlines, but to us, he has made a positive difference.”

Prosecutors responded to the letters in their sentencing memo, saying, “quite simply, sexual assault on a child is not something a person of good character does.”

The post Mother of rape victim says her family received death threats from Somali community appeared first on Alpha News MN.