Bosnian ‘Islamic State’ Defendant Strikes Plea Bargain

Muharem Dunic. Photo: State court

Dupovac said out that Dunic has accepted a prison sentence of between three and three-and-a-half years.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina is due to consider the agreement concluded between Dunic and the prosecution on June 23.

Dunic’s lawyer said that the proposed punishment was more lenient than usual because “there is evidence in the case file that Dunic worked at a hospital in Syria for more than two years and stood watch for a certain period of time, meaning he did not go to battlefields, as well as that he kept a low profile in terms of sending inappropriate messages from there”.

He added that Dunic had shown remorse and repentance.

“The prosecution accepted the range between three and three-and-a-half years although the defence requested that the range be reduced to two-and-a-half; so between two-and-a-half and three years,” Dupovac said.

“However, they did not want to go below three years, because three years is a legal minimum in that context. We shall see whether the court will accept the agreement or not. In my opinion, considering the existing evidence relating to the defendant, which is of a particularly mitigating nature, especially concerning his engagement at the hospital, I think there should be no problems,” he added.

Dunic is accused of having gone to Syria from Austria, where he temporarily lived and worked, in August 2014 and joined Islamic State. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina confirmed the indictment on June 12.

Dunic is one of seven Bosnian citizens who were deported from Syria to Bosnia and Herzegovina after having been captured in December 2019. Several other members of the group have also announced that they have struck plea bargains.