They sent money overseas for `` orphans '' and `` brothers in the mountains , '' or for `` camels , '' according to court records . The Justice Department alleges that three women arrested Wednesday actually directed the money labeled `` living expenses '' to Al-Shabaab , an Islamist group in Somalia designated by the United States as a terrorist organization . Arrested in their homes were Muna Osman Jama of Reston , Virginia ; Hinda Osman Dhirane of Kent , Washington ; and Farhia Hassan of the Netherlands , according to a Justice Department statement . Two other women named in the indictment are fugitives in Kenya and Somalia , the statement said . The three arrested were charged with one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and 20 counts of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization . If convicted , they could face up to 15 years in prison on each count . Court records said the operation used code words to disguise the money transfers to Somalia and Kenya . References to orphans and brothers in the mountains meant the Islamic insurgents , and camels referred to trucks . `` The money transfers often were broken down into small amounts as low as $ 50 or $ 100 , and the funds were intended for use by al-Shabaab insurgents operating in Somalia , '' according to the court records . The United States designated Al-Shabaab , an al Qaeda-linked militant group , as a foreign terrorist organization in March 2008 . Colorado woman accused of trying to help ISIS . Texas man pleads guilty to attempting to join ISIS ' jihad in Syria .
Court records say money sent to `` orphans '' actually went Islamic insurgents . Justice Department : The operation disguised money transfers to Al-Shabaab . Two women in America and one in the Netherlands arrested in their homes .