BiH authorities tackle terrorist threat

09/04/2008

Police in BiH say a group of suspects linked to the Wahhabi movement planned to unleash ethnic strife by attacking Catholic churches.

By Jusuf Ramadanovic for Southeast European Times in Sarajevo – 09/04/08

Anti-terrorist units of the BiH interior ministry have carried out two raids in recent weeks. [Getty Images]

Law enforcement officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) have conducted a series of raids recently to round up suspected terrorists.

On Friday (April 4th), authorities arrested a still-unidentified person for alleged links to terrorism. The interior ministry said the suspect had arms and explosives for terrorist use.

Police searched two more locations in Sarajevo's Sedrenik and Barice quarters, where they found materials used for the production of explosives. A mine, a hand grenade, ammunition, and other military devices were also found.

It was the second anti-terrorist raid in recent weeks ordered by the BiH prosecutor. In March, a larger operation took place in Sarajevo and in Bugojno.

The earlier raid resulted in the arrests of five terrorism suspects. One was eventually released for lack of evidence.

The interior ministry says it believes that one of those five suspects, Rijad Rustempasic, was the leader; another, Edis Velic, reportedly fought in Chechnya.

Police searched six houses in the March raids, finding large quantities of arms and military equipment, antitank mines, laser devices, electronic equipment, surprise mines, topographic maps, drawings, manuals for production of explosive devices, detonators, and other items useful to terrorists.

All suspects are linked to the Wahhabi movement in BiH and are detained for alleged contacts with Mirsad Bektasevic, who last year was sentenced to eight years in prison for involvement in preparing terrorist actions.

Edis Velic was indicted for shooting a street vendor last year, while Rijad Rustempasic is allegedly a faithful supporter of Jusuf Barcic, a suspected leader of the BiH Wahhabi movement who died in a car accident last year.

The investigation revealed that the suspects allegedly were plotting acts of terrorism against Catholic churches throughout BiH.

The interior ministry's action was conducted in co-operation with the Intelligence Security Agency and Prosecutor's Office of BiH and follows several months of investigation and surveillance.