A group of people have been detained for allegedly attempting to join the Somali militant al-Shabab group, according to media reports.

The number of arrests is still unclear, but officials say that number of 14 people being held was incorrect.

US concern over the al-Shabab group has grown since the group successfully carried out a bomb plot in Uganda.

Wednesday saw a man charged with attempting to support al-Qaeda and al-Shabab.

Prosecutors said Shaker Masri of Chicago was attempting to travel to Somalia to join al-Shabab, which the US and UK consider a terrorist group.

On Thursday, prosecutors for the US unsealed indictments against three individuals charged with providing resources to al-Shabab, which has close ties to al-Qaeda.

They include two Somalia-born US citizens in the state of Minnesota accused of sending money to al-Shabab.

According to US media reports, they have been served with a 16-count indictment which states that they went door-to-door in Somali communities around the US and Canada to raise money, according to media reports.

The two suspects also allegedly raised money with teleconferences and said the funds would help the needy in Somalia.