Macedonian publishing house under investigation for terror links

11/05/2008

SKOPJE, Macedonia -- A publishing house in Skopje may have ties to al-Qaeda, an interior ministry spokesman said Friday (May 9th). He was referring to the Nun publishing house and its director Bekir Halimi. According to the spokesman, Ivo Koteski, Halimi plays a key role in the activity and financing of Bamiresija, a humanitarian organisation allegedly linked to the Kuwait-based Society for the Revival of Islamic Heritage. The latter organisation is on a UN blacklist as part of the al-Qaeda network. Kotevski said Bamiresija is suspected of being a part of a larger structure, which has cells in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro.

Halimi, however, has rejected the allegations, saying they are "politically motivated" and stem from the forthcoming elections in Macedonia, as well as the country's failure to receive an invitation to join NATO. (Dnevnik, Nova Makedonia - 09/05/08)